Artifact #6: Dollard des Ormeaux Poster

Citation:

Comite de recrutement Canadiens-francais, Canadiens Dollard des Ormeaux. 1914/1918?. Undefined. Poster collection. Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford, CA. Hoover ID Poster CN 153. https://digitalcollections.hoover.org/objects/11093/canadiens--suivez-lexemple-de-dollard-des-ormeaux--natte.

Label:

The government attempted to encourage citizens to enlist by tailoring recruitment posters to a specific group. This was a common strategy used to appeal to specific groups of people across the nation. In this case, French Canadians in Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Sherbrooke, Trois-Riveres, Joliette, and Chicoutimi. While enlistments in French Canadians were lower due to a political and cultural divide, the government used Dollard des Ormeaux to appeal to French identity and patriotism. Adam Dollard des Ormeaux was long regarded as a hero and martyr who sacrificed himself to defend Ville-Marie. The saying “suivez l'example de dollard des ormeaux, N'attendez pas l'ennemi au coin du feu, mais allez au devant de lui,” translates to follow the example of dollard des ormeaux, Do not wait for the enemy by the fireside, but go to meet him, which alludes to the armed force Dollard des Ormeaux assembled to intercept Haudenosaunee warriors who were threatening Ville-Marie (Cite). The government hopes to achieve military recruitment and reinforce national unity by using an image of a French Canadian hero. 

Bibliography:

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/fr/article/dollard-des-ormeaux-adam