Artifact #3 : Carter? Caron? Caplan? Canakos? Cantrowicz? Canadian!
Citation:
Mayerovitch, H (1944) “Carter? Caron? Caplan? Canakos? Cantrowicz? Canadian!”. Poster. Archives / Collections and Fonds, Library Archives Canada. Accession number: 1981-032 PIC 00010 Box number: 1.006/X2, B029/X2
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=2846193&lang=eng
Label:
This is a poster that is meant to rile up the people who would have been viewing. To show a broken dog tag is a rather bold move by the artist, however getting the message across to the men who were eligible and not enlisting that men are dying. The list of names shows us as viewers that it doesn’t matter what background you come from, it doesn’t matter if you are English or French, if you live in Canada you are Canadian and should stand up for your country and fight for it. Messages like this one encouraged sacrifice and courage in the Canadian population. It is this sacrifice and solidarity that characterized Canada’s mobilization on the homefront during World War 2, this led to changing social norms and values that would further increase Canada’s newly forming national identity. A poster such as this one that looks to blur the line between the things like language and cultural differences shows how Canada was changing to be a more diversified country.
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