Manufacturing

During the early stages of industrial preparation for war, Allied powers faced the challenge of creating a tank that could be mass produced, and be comparable to those being manufactured in Germany. 

This 1941 report by the Ministry of Munitions and Supply provides insight into Canada's wartime manufacturing and construction power. The report addresses primary wartime industries' efforts such as shipbuilding, gun manufacturing, and heavy ammunition. However, it also reported on the growth of other related industries that nonetheless affected the civilian population more directly, such as timber and electricity. 

In the First World War, some businesses reported power shortages in the province of Ontario, the Canadian Manufacturers' Association were tasked with looking into the issue. 

A new Ford dealership in London, A.B. Greer and Sons, sent out a letter in 1916 to invite customers to inspect the latest Ford models in their showroom on the corner of York and Talbot streets. The letter was reused for personal correspondence in 1917, to conserve resources.

The De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Company was responsible for the creation of one of the most widely used training aircrafts by the British Commonwealth. This employee's insurance plan would have been the one in place for workers during the early years of the Second World War. 

The Second World War brought full employment to Canada, but it also brought the Unemployment Insurance Act. This card indicated that Ethel Cooper had received an unemployment insurance book when she stopped working at a Toronto-area munitions factory.

To embarrass the Conservative government, the Liberal Party released this pamphlet alleging profiteering, kickbacks, and fraud in the manufacture and supply of munitions for Canada's war effort.

Published by the federal Liberal Party, this booklet critically reviews the behaviours and actions of the wartime Borden government. Of particular note are accusations regarding unnecessary supply shortages, production delays, and the ever-present fear of wartime profiteering.

Pamphlets like this one educated factory and business owners on their wartime responsibilities - both in terms of production and security. It was important that wartime production in Canada maintain an efficient pace and follow the proper security measures to prevent disaster should any industries be threatened by air raids or other domestic threats.

This pamphlet, published in association with the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, offers a glimpse into the problems, attitudes, and aspirations of Canadian factory workers.