Department of Munitions and Supply (Canada)

The Department of Munitions and Supply was the federal government ministry responsible for co-ordinating domestic Canadian industry during World War II. It was created by the "Munitions and Supply Act" in September 1939 and began operations on April 9, 1940 with C.D. Howe as Minister of Munitions and Supply. [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005520 Munitions and Supply, Department of] , "The Canadian Encyclopedia"]

The Department produced armaments for the war effort and regulated the use of gasoline, silk and other strategic commodities in Canada order to prioritize their use for the war production.

By the end of the war, Canada's war production ranked fourth among the Allies, 70% of Canada's war production by 1945 went to supply the Allies and only 30% was needed for Canada's own military. [http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/newspapers/canadawar/munitions_e.html The War Economy and Controls: Munitions] , WarMuseum.ca, accessed February 3, 2008] Included among the production was 815,729 military vehicles, including 45,710 armoured vehicles many of which went to the British Eighth Army in North Africa and Italy.

The Department established 28 crown corporations [http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/secondwar/fact_sheets/industry Canada's Industries Gear up for War] , Veterans Affairs Canada, accessed February 3, 2008] including Polymer Corporation that developed and produced synthetic rubber, Victory Aircraft for the production of bombers and Research Enterprises. It coordinated all purchases made in Canada by British and other Allied governments for materials inlcuduing military transport vehicles, tanks, cargo and military ships, aircraft, guns and small arms, ammunition as well as uniforms, minesweeping equipment, parachutes, firefighting equipment, and hospital supplies.

The Department was dissolved at the conclusion of World War II and most of its crown corporations sold off. The remaining duties of the department were merged with those of the Department of Reconstruction to create the Department of Reconstruction and Supply. In 1951, a new Department of Defence Production was created, with Howe as its minister until 1957 - the department itself existed until 1969 when it was abolished and replaced by the Department of Supply and Services. [ [http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=E&Page=InformationResources&Sub=Publications&doc=min/min_20_e.htm#N_99_ Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation] Privy Council Office, accessed February 4, 2008]

References

ee also

*Imperial Munitions Board

External links

* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005520 Munitions and Supply, Department of] , "The Canadian Encyclopedia"
* [http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/newspapers/canadawar/munitions_e.html The War Economy and Controls: Munitions] , WarMuseum.ca, accessed February 3, 2008