World WarII: An Opportunity for Canadian Women

The divergence from the traditional roles of women as homemakers was greeted with opposition from society. This was first revealed in a public opinion survey hosted in 1943, which showed that only seven percent of Canadians felt that joining the military was the best way for Canadian women to support the war effort. Rumours also brought the sexual respectability of women into question despite the fact that only a small percentage of female personnel were affected by venereal disease and pregnancy. This sudden opposition changed the lives of women, bringing their traditional roles into question and rendering a position in the military undesirable. In light of this, the lives of Canadian women were affected by the expectations society held for them in opposition to what they may have wanted to pursue. Further along, the labour shortage grew increasing exaggerated. Originally, the National Selective Service, an employment office, aimed to employ young unmarried women in the workforce. However, when the labour pool was exhausted, the office looked to housewives, and married women with children for part-time to full-time work. To accommodate this development, the Minister of Labour worked with provinces to establish childcare facilities for mothers employed in the war industries and the military. This initiative accommodated 2 500 children in Ontario alone, and intended to aid working mothers.