• Mackenzie King put Howe in charge of war production effort
• Demands for more war supplies
• Howe's department were given new powers over private enterprises meaning they could tell businesses what to produce
• Soon Canada was geared up for war production
• Canadians started making many items that were once imported
• For the first time Canadians produced diesel engines, synthetic rubber, roller bearings and other items
Historical Significance
• Predicted that "Never again will there be any doubt that Canada can manufacture anything that can be manufactured anywhere else."br> • He was right
• For Germany it meant that they could first conquer Western Europe before turning its guns on Soviet Union
• Many new industries survived war and became permanent part of Canadian industry
• By the end of war, 28 New Crown corporations, which were private enterprises taken over by the government, were created
• Never before had a Canadian government taken such a wide-ranging control over private enterprise
Clarence Decatur Howe
Image Courtesy of Government of Canada Collections
C.D. Howe
Image Courtesy of Citizenship and Immigration Canada
• Clarence Decatur Howe
• The Great Forbearer