Canada’s home front World War Two

Decision to Join: September 10, 1939 PM King promises there will be NO conscription in return for support from Quebec Canada declared war on its own behalf = AUTONOMY

Issues to be Addressed Armed forces small, unfit for combat Air force and Navy outdated and small Canadians not as excited about this war… still remember how awful the last one was!

People Volunteered Because… Strong ties to Britain = sense of duty National Pride for Canada Steady Income for Soldiers

Experience on the Home Front: British Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP) King wanted to contribute supplies and training rather than troops Major contribution to war effort Ex: trained 130 000 air crew Results: Still had to send troops Canada pays 70% of the high cost to run

How to get around the issue of Conscription… Hold a Plebiscite: “A vote on a particular issue” Voters (outside Quebec) say YES to conscription

Experience on the Home Front: Total War “Mobilization of entire resources of a nation for war” C.D. Howe in charge Three ways: Industries told what to produce and how to produce it Convinced industries to produce goods they had not made before Created “Crown Corporations” to produce what the private sector couldn’t

Total War: NRMA National Resources Mobilization Act Gave the government special emergency powers to take over the nation’s resources Canadians demanded a greater contribution for war effort against Nazis

How the War Was Funded: Victory bonds Increased income tax Wartime Prices and Trade Board freezes wages and prices Reduces inflation Food Rationing

Problems on the Home Front: Canadian Unity Took 2 years for Conscription to be Applied (vote in 1942, applied in 1944) Only 2463 soldiers actually saw battle Was it worth the cost to Canadian Unity?

Anti-Semitism Prejudice or hostility towards Jewish people In Canada: Hiring restrictions in businesses, civil service, etc. Jews forbidden to purchase property in some provinces Regular outbreaks of violence against Jewish Canadians 1939- St. Louis full of Jewish refugees turned away from Canadian port Only 4000 refugees accepted by war’s end (compared with 85,000 in US and 240,000 in Britain)

Problems on the Home Front: Anti-Japanese Sentiment Anti-Japanese sentiment grows after Pearl Harbour War Measures Act ‘invites’ Japanese-Canadians to move inland to ‘relocation centres’ Eventually force all to move Send to Internment Camps till end of war Sometimes families separated Confiscated property 3946 deported, 2000 of which were Canadian citizens

Japanese-Canadians finally receive degrees