The War at Home
1. War Artists
Canadian War Art Program was a program in which hired Canadian artists created paintings depicting Canada’s contributions to the war and significant events
Canada did not have official war art program until 1943, which was organised by Vincent Massey and director of National Gallery of Canada, H. O. McCurry; it was under jurisdiction of the Department of National Defence
Only Canadians serving in the armed forces were employed
Only 32 artists given war artist commissions and paintings were exhibited during war
Artists would go with fighting groups, in uniform, to create sketches to be made into paintings later on
Paintings were focused on the men and machinery; Lawren P. Harris's “Tank Advance”, Charles F. Comfort’s “Dead German on the Hitler Line”, and Alex Colville’s “Tragic Landscape” all depicts the feelings and horrific results of war
Paintings and results of this program became known as the War Records Collection
Later transferred to Canadian War Museum in 1971

3. Rationing
Introduced in 1942; limiting what people could buy
Helped ensure that everyone shared the supplies available at home equally
Canadians households had to fill out application form for a ration book with coupons and had to present them in order to get what they needed
Could not buy more than amount indicated on coupon
Sugar was first to be rationed in July 1942, followed by tea and coffee in August
Other rationed foods includes: butter, meat, maple syrup products, table syrups, and apple or honey butter.
This was to ensure that there was enough food and supply for those fighting overseas
Was regulated by Wartime Prices and Trade Board; people were fined/imprisoned if caught with too much of anything
Rationing limited amount and type of food Canadians could purchase; lead to people saving up supplies/coupons for special occasions or exchanging it with neighbours

5. Women in the workforce and Canada’s industries (WWII)
Posters such as “Bren Gun Girl” encouraged women to seek jobs making munitions, tanks, ships, and other weapons; by 1943, 261 000 women worked in munition factories
Altogether, over 1 million women worked in jobs outside of home such jobs include: truck, bus, taxi, and streetcar driver – 4000 women had jobs as construction workers, others worked in shipyards and in smelters many more women worked at home or on farms, as well as volunteering with the Red Cross or in military canteens; also organised salvage drives or helped to prepare packages to send overseas over 21 000 women served in Canadian Army as WACs (Women’s Army Corps)
WWII saw end of drought in the West; many farmers devoted their efforts to bringing in record crops to feed Canadians (and its allies) at home and overseas, with the additional and excess production of wheat to meet the requirements of war
Majority of the food went overseas to feed the British; Canada sent over $3 billion to Britain to help its war efforts
All done in spite of shortage of labour; received temporary help from students, home defence soldiers, POWs, family, and groups of harvesters to ease shortage (not to mention lacking compulsory military service/conscription for farmers’ sons)

7. Services for military men at home
Canadian Red Cross provided services for men on leave (call military canteens)
Offered medical aid, comforts of home (food, warm clothing, books) to men
Pity and sadness would be felt towards men who had to go back to fight
Would be curious about the conditions and horrors seen on the battlefield
Might result in traumatic memories about said horrors

Paragraph – Women in the workforce and Canada’s industries (WWII) World War II saw many women working traditionally male roles such as jobs in munition factories, becoming heavy agricultural farmers, and physically joining the military. Since there was a labour shortage due to many Canadian men and women volunteering overseas to fight, the government of Canada resorted to propaganda to once again persuade