Group of men in armed forces uniforms standing in front of a stone pillar.
Remembrance Day Jewish parade and ceremony at Cenotaph, Old City Hall
November 11, 1945
Photographer: John H. Boyd
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1266, Item 100132
Crowd watches army regiments in formation in a park.
Canadian Corps Service, probably Riverdale Park
June 9, 1940
Photographer: John H. Boyd
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1266, Item 66743

 

For many in a country at war, both Remembrance Day and worship services took on new meaning.

 

Children with a large heap of pots and pans.
Aluminium drive
September 5, 1941
Photographer: John H. Boyd
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1266, Item 75876

 

Metals, paper, rags, bones (to make glycerine for explosives), and other waste were collected to be recycled for the war effort.

 

Dunlop Tires billboard ca. 1942-44 City of Toronto Archives Fonds 1488, Item 6451
Billboard showing woman in armed forces uniform.
Christie’s Soda Crackers billboard
ca. 1942-44
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1488, Item 6506

 

 

Billboard showing man and woman in armed forces uniforms with Santa Claus.
Ostranders Jewellers billboard
ca. 1942-44
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1488, Item 6614
Billboard showing cow in army helmet.
Acme Farmers Dairy billboard
ca. 1942-44
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1488, Item 6611

 

Faced with dramatically reduced consumer spending, advertisers made their products seem relevant to the war by demonstrating their own contribution to the war effort, encouraging patriotism in shoppers, or simply using armed forces and war worker references in their ads.

 

Boy standing in front of a poster showing a sinking ship and the words "someone talked".
Display of students’ poster competition winners, Eaton’s
July 2, 1943
Photographer: John H. Boyd
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1266, Item 86081

 

Everywhere they turned, citizens were reminded that there was a war on, and that their efforts or their errors made an important difference.

 

Children standing behind chairs at a long dinner table.
Salvation Army day care, Lisgar Street
February 17, 1943
Photographer: John H. Boyd
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 1266, Item 83552

 

With so many women being encouraged to work in munitions factories, day care briefly became seen as a societal rather than individual problem.

 

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