The Canadian Home Front
The Role of Women
The Role of Women Overseas
The Canadian Women's Army Corps, The RCAF Women's Division, Woman's Royal Canadian Navy Services or (WRENS)
The Role of Women
46,000 women served as cooks, , nurses, pilots, mechanics, welders and radar operators
Some worked coastal defence
Others as ferry flyers
The Role of Women
Women also worked as SOE: Special Ops
Were spies behind enemy lines
Worked as saboteurs, radio operators etc
The Role of Women at Home
Over 1 million women in the workforce (mainly factories)
Women were paid less than men
Gov't provided daycare and tax breaks
Women lost their jobs after the war
Production at Home
Depression was over as soon as the war started
Canadian factories produced bombs, bullets, aircraft and armoured cars
Car factories switched to making war vehicles
This was known as “total war effort”
Production at Home
Canada experienced “Total War”
Rationing was in place C.D. Howe ran the War
Supply Board that had one goal: Organize Canadian Industry to supply the front
This was financed by war bonds, taxes and Britain
Production at Home
The Hyde Park Declaration
The US passed the Land Lease Act that said they would produce good for Allied countries and forego payment until after the war
Canada worried that Allied countries would no longer buy from them
The US arranged to buy raw materials from Canada and supply parts for weapons construction
Propaganda on the Homefront
The NFB developed hundreds of Propaganda films to boost morale at home
Example
Canadian Training Facilities
The British Commonwealth air training plan was based in Canada
130 000 air personnel were trained at 230 sites in Canada
Canadian Training Facilities
Camp X
this was a spy training facility outside of Oshawa
It was set up after the attack on Pearl Harbour
Hail Hydra
Conscription
King passes the National Mobilization Act which requires all men to help with the war effort, but does not require them to go overseas
Conscription
1942 King runs a plebiscite (vote) to release him from his promise to not bring in conscription
It passes and the Quebecois are upset
Conscription
13 000men are sent overseas, but only 2000 see the front lines
In the end Quebec was upset, but less so than during WWI
Enemy Aliens
Any ethnic groups in Canada from enemy countries were required to register as “enemy aliens
Enemy Aliens
Pro-Nazi and Pro Communist Parties are banned
Pacificistic Religious Groups
There was discrimoination against African Canadians and the First Nations until soldiers were needed
Jews were turned away
Enemy Aliens
Japanese Internment There was racism towards
Japanese Canadians before the war
After Pearl Harbour 1942 the internment of Japanese People is passed and follows the same models as the treatment of the Jews in Germany
Enemy Aliens
Internment Camps
All ships confiscated
Schools Closed
Men first then families
Relocation or Deportation
No “Hope”
1943 Custodian of Aliens Act: Sold their stuff
1944 Japanese could be deported if they stayed in BC
1946 ban lifted