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The War at Home and What the War Meant to Canada

The War at Home and What the War Meant to Canada. Ms. Campbell Socials 11. The War at Home. During WW2 the Canadian Home Front made enormous contributions Total War led many factories to produce war supplies Factories operated non-stop and Canadians worked long hours. The Home Front.

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The War at Home and What the War Meant to Canada

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  1. The War at Home andWhat the War Meant to Canada Ms. Campbell Socials 11

  2. The War at Home • During WW2 the Canadian Home Front made enormous contributions • Total War led many factories to produce war supplies • Factories operated non-stop and Canadians worked long hours

  3. The Home Front • Women joined the war industries in jobs that were not typical • “Rosie the Riviter” became a popular nickname for working women

  4. The Home Front • Wartime production and employment increase the amount of money available to the average Canadians • But there were fewer goods available to buy

  5. The Home Front • Mackenzie King tried to avoid inflation several ways: • Enthusiastically encouraging Canadians to buy Victory Bonds • Increased income tax • A freeze on wages in 1941 • Food rations (1kg meat, 220g sugar, 250g butter, 225g coffee) • These were generous compared to England and the US

  6. The Home Front • The Wartime Prices and Trade Board was established to reduce social unrest • It limited the power of trade unions by controlling wages to make strikes less effective

  7. The Home Front • The labour shortage made the board’s job difficult and many people went on strike for higher wages and the right to bargain • In 1944 the federal government allowed workers to join a union and forced employers to recognize unions

  8. The Home Front • The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was becoming increasingly popular both federally and provincially • Strong party support helped develop Canada’s “Cradle to Grave” policy of social security

  9. The Home Front • In 1939, King promised there would be no conscription • When Hitler took over Europe, it was clear that thousands of soldiers would be needed • Many Canadians demanded the government do more

  10. The Home Front • King’s government brought in the National Resource Mobilization Act (NRMA) • This gave the government emergency powers including conscription for home defence

  11. The Home Front • The Conservative opposition wanted conscription but King knew there would be strong resistance in Quebec

  12. The Home Front • King decided to hold a plebiscite on the issue and used the slogan “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary” • In 1942 all provinces except Quebec voted to allow conscription

  13. The Home Front • The National Selective Service Act allowed conscription • Riots were held in Montreal • For two years King avoided sending troops overseas but in 1944 15,000 men were conscripted for active service • Only 2463 of these ever reached the front

  14. What the War Meant to Canada • In 1940 (before joining the war) President Roosevelt called the US the “arsenal of democracy” • He promised the US would arm and supply the war • A program called the Lend-Lease Act was developed to give Britain war goods

  15. What the War Meant to Canada • In Canada, the economy boomed as it produced war goods • Agriculture was overtaken by manufacturing • Canada’s economy transformed from rural to a modern industrial nation

  16. What the War Meant to Canada • Society also changed as women were employed in greater numbers • After the war it was expected that women would give up their jobs to returning soldiers

  17. What the War Meant to Canda • After the war 48,000 war brides came to Canada • Otherwise, immigration decreased

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