Rationing The government encouraged people not to have excess amounts of food or other supplies in their house during wartime. In 1942, the Wartime Prices and Trade Board was set up to control prices and distribution of goods. Canadians were given ration cards, which were needed to buy many common goods. For many Canadians, rationing was not a new idea, given that they had just lived through 10 years of Depression, and survived on even less.

Patriotism The driving force behind the war at home was the idea of patriotism; everyone wanted to do their part to help Canada and its allies win the war. People gave up buying new pots and pans, and children became scrap metal scavengers, as this metal could be used to build weapons and materials for the war. The government urged the whole family to help win the war.

Victory Bonds Similar to WWI, the Canadian government sold Victory Bonds to help fund the war effort. A significant amount of money was spent on Victory Bonds by minority groups in Canada. Chinese Canadians raised $4 million in war relief funds, as China and Canada were allies in the fighting against Japan.

Economic Change WWII actually solved some economic problems in Canada, and effectively put an end to the Great Depression. Canada has a job shortage heading into the war, and had an economy mostly dependent on raw materials. The demands of war, along with the efforts of Minister of Munitions C.D Howe, transformed the Canadian economy.

Wartime Economy 28 Crown companies (government-run) were created to produce wartime materials like rubber, aircraft, explosives and uranium. Canada became an industrial power; munitions factories, shipyards and shipbuilding were huge sectors of the Canadian wartime economy. Canadian automobile makers were converted to produce strictly military vehicles.

Political Change The effects of wartime were not all bad in Canada; some changes would be made that would have a lasting impression on Canada for the good. 1940 - The government passed Unemployment Insurance; unemployed workers could collect insurance from a program that workers and employers contributed to. 1944 - The government introduced Family Allowance aka the “baby bonus.” This was a financial incentive for people to have children and grow the Canadian population.

On the Battlefield Although it was a major failure at the time, Canadian forces were involved in the Dieppe Raid. The mistakes made here helped the Allies learn German defences, and would later help to win the war. Canadians fought in the Italian Campaign in 1943, to earn back a lot of territory on the Southern Front. In 1944, Canadians landed on the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day and forced the Germans to retreat. Throughout the war, Royal Air Force pilots were trained at air bases in Canada before being sent into active duty.