Shopping

Everything is Expensive ... Why?

By 1917, Canadians were experiencing a steep rise in the cost of living. A number of Canadians called for the Borden government to implement a system of wartime price-fixing to alleviate the strain of inflation. While systems of food and fuel control would be adopted in mid-1917, formal price-fixing was never adopted. This booklet contemplates the issue and questions why Canadians should be subject to such inflation during wartime.

The war in 1942 - from Maple Leaf Anti-Freeze

This folder, distributed by the company's Montreal headquarters, combined an advertisement for anti-freeze, consumer tips, advice on helping the war effort, and an informative war map.

A soldier's guide to Rome

Prepared by the Canadian community in Rome, this guide was intended to ensure that Canadian servicemen and women on leave in the Eternal City saw all the important tourist sites.

Rome in a Day.pdf (97.22 MB)

Buying alcohol in Quebec

Quebec regulations allowed adults over the age of twenty to purchase up to forty ounces of alcohol each fortnight; coupons became void once the date on them passed.

QC permit.pdf (6.68 MB)

Buying alcohol in Saskatchewan

William Hart was stationed in Winnipeg with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1944; when one flight took him to Saskatchewan, he was required to secure a provincial permit book for a single purchase of alcohol.

SK Liquor Board.pdf (13.88 MB)

The supply of toilets in wartime

Military needs took precedence during the Second World War, and this manufacturer of sinks, toilets, and bathroom fittings informed customers that they might not have their orders filled because of wartime demands.

Permit for purchasing alcohol

The sale of liquor had been subject to controls long before the Second World War - the need for servicemen and women to carry a purchase permit merely added another layer of complexity.

Vote Liberal and win the war

Helen Smith and John Forester had won the British Columbia riding of Vancouver-Burrard for the Liberals in 1937 but in the 1941 provincial election, not even patriotic rhetoric could help them. The pair finished third, behind candidates from the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and the Conservatives.

The cost of milk

Like every other commodity, milk was sold at prices that were carefully controlled by federal and provincial authorities.

Speaking of Money and the War

J.L. Ilsley, Minister of Finance for Canada, was responsible for the nation's economic budget for the duration of the Second World War. These speech extracts outline Canada's pay-as-you-go policy to finance the war and its impact on wartime debts, taxes, and business.