1. Canada in the Second World War
The Home Front

2. Learning goals By the end of this lesson, students will be able to…
describe Canada’s contributions to the war effort at home during WWII
paraphrase and form an opinion on the controversial issues occurring within Canadian society during WWII (Japanese Internment, Conscription, Propaganda, etc.)

3. A Nation Transformed During WWII, Canadian society was transformed
Men were enlisted in the army, navy, and airforce
Women formed auxillary groups and performed important non-combat roles
Civilians were expected to ‘do their bit’ as well
Canada becomes Britain’s most valuable ally

4. Total War
Winning the war meant full-mobilization of all resources at home.
War industry boomed – thanks mostly to C.D. Howe (see photo)
Resources were rationed back home to be sent as supplies to the Allies (ex. gas, meat, sugar, butter, tea, coffee)
C.D. Howe – Canada’s Minister of Munitions and Supply. He had several nicknames such as Dictator, and Minister of Everything.

5. Interesting Fact:
Canadian scientists made several important advances during the war – early radar, airplane de-icers, anti-gravity suits, work on the atomic bomb . . .

6. New Roles for Women Women filled a variety of other duties back home:
worked in factories, constructions sites, shipyards, and farms . . .
operated their households
ran nurseries
collected clothing
donated blood

7. Interesting Fact:
Elsie MacGill won the Order of Canada for her role in building Hawker Hurricane fighters during the war

8. Paying for the war Income tax helped pay for some of the war.
Victory Bonds used again – temporary loans to the gov’t ($9 billion worth)

9. Propaganda
Posters, movies, magazines, and radio – used to lead people to a certain opinion
CBC and National Film Board used to give positive news about the war
Propaganda also had a very negative impact in some cases. . .

10. Propaganda as a Destructive Tool
LIFE Magazine Archives:

11. Walt Disney Propaganda?
YouTube:

12. Interesting Fact:
Censorship in Canada meant that few people heard about Japanese ‘balloon bombs’ that were sent from Japan and meant to explode over North America, setting forest fires. Only about 290 ever reached us out of about 9000, and the damage was minimal.

13. Treatment of Minorities
Canadian law discriminated against visible minorities
Special internment camps set up for Japanese-Canadians
Japanese Canadians suffered the worst:
Lost possessions
Moved to the ‘interior’
Businesses seized and sold
22,000 displaced

14. Interesting Fact:
When WWII began, both the Canadian air force and navy had strict rules about who could join. The RCAF required officers to be of ‘pure European descent,’ and the navy required recruits to be a ‘British-born subject, of a white race.’

15. Conscription P.M. King had promised no conscription for WWII
But…he changed his mind
King asks Canadians to be released from his promise
Limited conscription by 1941 – home defense only
Canada divided again (French and English)