Embedded Files
Miltary Buildup
Contained within the scrapbook for 1940-1941 is an emphasis on military buildup, as the total war effort defined Canadian society.
Highschools became tooled as preliminary military training centres, while recruitment efforts took place around the country.
Citizens at home were encouraged to save to win, denoting an idea that living frugal domestic lives allowed resources to be used in the greater British Commonwealth war effort.
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, 36
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, 9
RCAF flag circa 1940.
The Royal Canadian Air Force unveiled its new flag over Britain on Sept 19, 1940, while the Royal Canadian Navy continued to establish itself as a global force.
Air Force recruits throughout the commonwealth trained within one of four Canadian command posts.
Naval volunteers went to Halifax in an effort to speed up Naval training efforts.
The Canada US Joint Defence Board met on Aug 27, 1940 and continued a longstanding tradition of American-Canadian military cooperation.
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, p. 15
Donald Gordon, President of Canadian Club of Ottawa
Donald Gordon, President of Canadian Club of Ottawa
Growing Patriotism in Canada Exemplified by Two Prominent Figures
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives.
M.J. Lyons, Chairman of Catholic Women's Patriotic Guild
M.J. Lyons, Chairman of Catholic Women's Patriotic Guild
These two figures represented dual forces working towards facilitating a sense of patriotism within Canada. For Gordon, he sought to achieve this within Canadian business society, as he was a prominent figure within the country's business apparatus. Lyons, on the other hand, established a growing body of political women who wished to aid the war effort through volunteering and actions at home.
Some, like Colonel Wilfred Bovey, believed that French and English Canada had never been so united. He asserted that the "two great Canadian peoples, separate in character and in language, were yet one nation. Never so united."
Others, like Reverend Alexander Ferguson, plead for unity among Christian Canadians. His plea marked a divergence from Bovey's assertion of unity. Ferguson asks for Canadians to dismiss the divisions of Anglican and Baptist, highlighting an existing fault line in Canadian society. This divergence can be explained by the difference between propaganda and reality. Bovey was attempting to manifest unity by suggesting that it was already there, whereas Ferguson was participating in the push to achieve unity.
Meanwhile, Ottawa continued to participate in pushes at establishing a further sense of patriotism.
Ottawa Women's Participation in the War Effort
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, p. 15
G.D. Findlayson
G.D. Findlayson
Retiring President of the Ottawa Women's Canadian Club
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, p. 19
Jocelyn White
Jocelyn White
President of the May Court Club
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, p. 15
Edna L. Inglis
Edna L. Inglis
President of the Ottawa Women's Canadian Club
These three women headed organizations that sought to assist the war effort through domestic volunteer work. They encouraged women to knit socks and uniforms, live frugally, and make charitable donations.
At the time of the Second World War, volunteering was the most socially acceptable form of participation in the war. Due to its nature as a selfless act, there are few published examples of individual efforts at volunteering. Instead, it was directed by groups such as those headed by these three women. Knitting was the most prominent function of these groups.
Joan Arnoldi and Mary Plummer started this tradition with their creation of the Canadian Field Comforts Commission at the onset of the First World War. The main difference between the efforts in the two great wars lies in the central role of the government. The Department of National War Services took direct interest and exercised control over many of these groups. It also initialized propaganda pushes like the "Sew, Save, Serve" initiative.
Refugees and the Jewish Community at the Onset of the War
HSO No. 130. Scrapbook: [1940-1941], City of Ottawa Archives, 13
The scrapbooker took a particular notice to the Jewish population and refugees throughout this collection. They often combined the two wherever possible which leads to a recognition of the refugee problem created after World War One.
Immigration from the 1930s-40s was extremely low. Thus, any mention of refugees refers to those that arrived in Canada after the destruction of the First World War. This was a major problem for the Canadian population. French leaders feared a diminution of political power while English populations feared that they would lose their jobs. Many thought that refugees like the Jewish emigres from the collapsed Russian Empire threatened to devalue Christian ideals.
Although, our scrapbooker seemed very cognizant of the Zionist push to establish a home in Palestine. There were multiple excerpts taken that afforded a favourable framing to this Zionist effort. There were zero examples of negative connotations associated with refugees or Jewish populations, instead it was much the opposite. This is in direct contrast to those like FC Blair, the Canadian Immigration Director. When Britain shiped Prisoners of War to Canada, it included a huge number of Jewish refugees. Blair asserted that they had to "protect Canada against the release of these people."
Nevertheless, as time went on, our scrapbooker was proven right. Many of these people were released from internment camps and went on to integrate into Canadian society through valuable cultural modes of academia and business.
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