The War Economy and Controls

The government took full control of the economy, and turned it into a war-winning weapon. It established C. D. Howe's Department of Munitions and Supply and the Wartime Industries Control Board, both in the spring of 1940, and applied tough wage and price controls in 1941. It lent money to Britain interest-free, gave it a gift of war supplies in January 1942 and then donated surplus production to Canada's allies through the Canadian Mutual Aid Board. Canada was making war production available to the Allied countries which could not afford to buy it.

The country was wealthy. Everyone who wanted to work could. There were, it was true, limits on wages and restrictions in the choosing and changing of jobs. There were also some shortages and rationing of food and other products. Income taxes, an invention of the First World War, went up. And the government pushed workers to put their money into Victory loans and savings schemes. But what a difference it was from the awful, ragtag, Depression-hounded Dirty Thirties.

Related Newspaper Articles

English Articles

• Economic Defence Geared Now to Dominion's Needs
  The Hamilton Spectator, 19/09/1939
   
• More Restrictive Orders May Be Passed Before Long
  The Hamilton Spectator, 26/11/1940
   
• Multiplies War Supply Controls
  The Globe And Mail, 10/03/1941
   
• Civilians to Help by Curbing Buying
  The Globe And Mail, 08/01/1942
   
• Radios For Home Will Be Cut Off
  The Hamilton Spectator, 25/04/1942
   
• All Citizens Are Affected by New Rules
  The Globe And Mail, 02/11/1942
   
• Canada to Have Handleless Cups Till After War
  The Toronto Daily Star, 21/12/1942
   
• Holding Down Living Costs
  The Toronto Daily Star, 26/02/1944
   
• Where the Money Comes From / Where the Money Goes
  The Financial Post, 19/10/1945
   
• Britain's Consumers Took the Heaviest Cuts
  The Financial Post, 02/11/1945
   
• War Materials Control Board Now Dissolved
  The Hamilton Spectator, 03/12/1945
   

French Articles

• L'emprunt de guerre - La première grande offensive de l'armée sans uniforme
  Le Devoir, 15/01/1940
   
• Première contribution du Canada à la guerre économique
  Le Devoir, 18/01/1940
   
• L'économie de paix à l'économie de guerre
  Le Devoir, 02/04/1940
   
• La guerre et l'épargne
  Le Devoir, 15/06/1940
   
• L'Office des industries de guerre
  Le Devoir, 03/07/1940
   
• La main d'œuvre canadienne et l'industrie de guerre
  Le Devoir, 28/11/1940
   
• Comité de l'épargne en temps de guerre
  Le Devoir, 04/12/1940
   
• Les industries de guerre et les Canadiens français
  Le Devoir, 16/12/1940
   
• La Bourse a fait face aux exigences de la guerre
  Le Devoir, 04/01/1941
   
• La commission des nécessité de guerre
  Le Devoir, 11/01/1941
   
• La nation canadienne devra renoncer au superflu
  Le Devoir, 03/02/1941
   
• Les avantages de l'Emprunt de la Victoire
  Le Devoir, 10/06/1941
   
• Illégalité des grèves dans les industries de guerre
  Le Devoir, 17/09/1941
   
• "À Ottawa. On "consulte" des économistes"
  Le Devoir, 05/01/1942
   
• Le cardinal encourage l'emprunt de la victoire
  Le Devoir, 04/02/1942
   
• Enregistrement obligatoire des hommes sans emplois et rentiers
  Le Devoir, 20/05/1942
   
• Le gouvernement établit un directorat des économies
  Le Devoir, 25/08/1942
   
• Pour le contôle de la main-d'oeuvre canadienne
  Le Devoir, 01/09/1942
   
• Un comité consultatif pour le contôle des économies
  Le Devoir, /0918/1942
   
• Taxes de guerre réduites ou abolies
  Le Devoir, 11/05/1945