1. Unit 3: Decades of Change The Home Front (chapter 8) The Home Front  8.3.3 Analyze the effects of the Second World War on Canada and its people

2. Economic Effects  Economic boom (demand created for raw materials, weapons war supplies)  Federal government intervened (plan & coordinate war production) & continued after the war to play a greater role in the economy – Factories converted to war production  National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA, 1940) gave government more powerNRMA – Assign workers (skills needed) – Farmers/coal miners jobs vital ( not allowed to join military) – Manufacturing expanded  Canada & U.S. began coordinating war production – Closer economic connection continued  Canada became a major source of arms/supplies (also see Figure 8.3)

3. Social Effects  Role of women in workplace & military – Began to do jobs considered men’s work – Volunteered all branches of military service – Armed forces created women’s branches (eg. WRENS directed convoy operations) – Served overseas (cooks, nurses, welders, radar operators) – Flew new airplanes from Canada to Britain – Labour shortage gap filled by women (over 1 million in workforce by 1944)  Day care provided in Ontario & Quebec – Day care a problem  (Women paid less than men for same work)  Women gained self-confidence – Expanded a way of life

4. Social Effects (cont.)  Some women wanted freedom to decide (didn’t want children/to be a housewife) because they proved they were as smart as any other person  Rationing (government role in daily lives increased) – Controlled distribution of short supply products – Restricted amounts of imported goods (eg. Coffee, tea, sugar) – Rationed products needed by armed forces (gas, rubber, certain metals) – Synthetic substitutes created – Few consumer goods produced during war – Silk unavailable; women dyed legs and drew “seam” line  Bought victory bonds (help pay for war)

5. Political Effects  Social policies introduced – Unemployment insurance (1940) – Baby bonus/family allowance (1945)family allowanc – (To keep voters from CCF)  Conscription – Francophones enlisted (could speak their own language and be led by francophone officers) – Consription introduced (NRMA) for home defence (NRMA soldiers nicknamed “zombies”)  Newfoundland joined Canada (1949) partly because of World War II – Military bases established by Canada & U.S.  Newfoundlanders joined Canada armed forces & merchant marine