[1] Gertrude Twilley was deeply religious, and felt that a true Christian should feel compassion for all suffering people and should work for economic and social justice.

Gertrude settled in easily, and began to publish verse[a] and articles in the Swan River Star.

She also co-founded a Home Economics Society at which women in the region exchanged recipes and learned about trade so they could understand and influence their husbands' business dealings.

[2] The Roaring River suffragists supported the Liberal William Henry Sims in the 1914 provincial election, although Richardson was uncomfortable with identifying suffrage with a political party.

[2] William Henry Sims was returned for Swan River, but the Conservatives led by Rodmond Roblin were the overall winners in the province.

Augusta Stowe-Gullen (1857–1943) said in 1915 that "when women have a voice in national and international affairs, war will cease forever.

This became an increasingly hard position to support as World War I dragged on, but Richardson stood firm.

In February 1915 she attended the Political Equality League's convention in Winnipeg, and joined a deputation that confronted the Tory Premier Rodmond Roblin.

The next day Richardson was elected first vice-president of the provincial division, with responsibility for organizing Equality groups throughout Manitoba.

[1] Harriet Dunlop Prenter may have encouraged Richardson to contribute to Canadian Forward from June 1917 onward.

She called on Canadian women to "arise and save our men" and blamed the war on "the blood-stained Capitalists of the world.

[1] She began to suffer from illness and showed signs of mental stress, including loss of appetite, sleeplessness and depression.