Artifact #7

Shoulder to Shoulder: Women in the Canadian Army

This Canadian World War II recruitment poster encourages Canadian women to enlist in Canadian Women’s Army Corps. The poster depicts various roles to choose from such as administrative duties, driving, technical jobs, and store women. Each showing a photo of a women doing said role. In the poster’s tagline, “An Integral Part of the Canadian Army” suggests that women are essential to war efforts, and it recognizes their skills and capabilities. The Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) was established August 13, 1941, due to a shortage of manpower on the frontlines, therefore the Government freed up positions and assigned them to women. On March 13, 1942, the women’s corps became fully integrated into the Canadian Army. The establishment of CWAC was a pivotal moment in Canadian World War II history because it challenged traditional gender norms and included women’s roles into the Canadian military during a time of global crisis.

Bibliography

Wood, James . "Canadian Women's Army Corps." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 06, 2006; Last Edited October 17, 2023.

“Canadian Women’s Army Corps.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, February 6, 2006. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-womens-army-corps#:~:text=Faced%20with%20a%20manpower%20shortage,integrated%20into%20the%20Canadian%20Army.

Canada, Library and Archives. “Collection Search - Shoulder to Shoulder - Canadian Women’s Army Corps.” Library and Archives Canada, December 9, 2024. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=2917721&q=poster+women%27s+army+corps+1944.