Artifact #5: CPF Letter
Citation:
Author Unkown. (November 7, 1916). [Letter from Representative at the Canadian Bank of Commerce to Sir Joseph Flavelle, 1916]. Retrieved from https://archives.queensu.ca/exhibits/archival-resources-teachers/canadian-homefront
Label:
The letter shown is addressed to Sir Joseph Flavelle, chairman of the Imperial Munitions Board, and outlines the Canadian Patriotic Fund (CPF) contributions. In 1917, all of Canada was called upon to raise $13,500,000. The letter breaks down each province's contributions to the total. The amount of money each province was expected to contribute correlated with the troops they had enlisted. While the letter does not state the number of troops enlisted in Ontario, they had one of the most significant shares to contribute at $5,700,000. Quebec was expected to cover the financial shortage of Alberta and British Columbia, $1,500,000, as Quebec had fewer enlisted troops than the other provinces. The CPF would go on to raise nearly $50 million to support families of soldiers. The letter exemplifies how donating to the CPF was seen as a collective responsibility of all citizens nationwide, with the government leading the way to ensure support for soldiers and their families.
Bibliography:
https://archives.queensu.ca/exhibits/archival-resources-teachers/canadian-homefront