Figure 1.--Canada durung the inter-War period develooed a motor vehicke industry closed tied to the huge American industry. It became the only Dominiion with a substantial industrial base. When Hitker and Stalin launched Woirld War II, the American indutry contunued manufacturing passenger cars, but Canada shifted its indudstry to support the British war effort. Canada would not only send motor vehicles and othjer industrial products to Britain, but would build the ships needed to protect the convoys delivering those supplies.

Canada played an imprtabnt role in Wiorld War I, but it was not Canadian insustry. Canada was not an industrialized nation. After the War, however, there was a spillover from the United Strates, especially as a result of the motir vehicle industry. Detrout is just acroos a river from Canada. And by the time of Workd War II, Canada had acquired an jnsystrial base, a very efficient industrial base. And nuch if that industry was associated wuith the automobile industry. The Japanese like the Germans in considering war, largely ignored the British Dominions. And Canada was a special case because it actually had a substantial industrial base, including an automobile industry. And significantly, right across the border in the United States was Detroit and the gigantic American motor vehicle industry. Several companies began efforts to build a car at the same time activity was just beginning in America. The Redpath Messenger built am amazing vehicle. It had a wooden carriage and a one-cylinder engine with shaft drive and two speed transmission (1903), It was the first vehicle in all of automotive history with a tilt steering wheel. It was marketed to sell at $600-700 and had a top speed of 10 miles per hour. More advanced production began soon after in Ontario, near Windsor (1904). Gordon McGregor and Wallace Campbell built 117 Ford Model Cs at the Walkerville Wagon Works factory. Quite a range of cars were built: Brooks, Redpath, Tudhope, McKay, Galt Gas-Electric, Gray-Dort, Brockville Atlas, Chatham, Anhunt, Russell (CCM), Hyslop and Ronald, and McLaughlin. World War I pushed the expansion of the industry to aid the British war effort. Canada emerged from World War I with the world's second-largest motor vehicle industry (1923). And this despite the fact that the Canadian manufacturers were small, inefficient plants producing many different models sheltered by a high protective tariff wall Canada entered the big leagues when the American automotive giant purchased McLaughlin and renamed it General Motors of Canada (1918). Studebaker, at the time a major automotive company, built its Rockne model in Canada (1930). High prices and inefficient operation were prevalent which persisted until after World War II. Most of the major manufacturers switched to making war products after the declaration of war (1939). A Canadian reader writes, "This was not just a feat of America but of North America. I told you about how my dad had to leave the Army in 1942 and his first job until after the war was working at Canadian Car and Foundry making parts firstly for the Hawker Hurricane and then also the Curtis Helldiver. Before 1939 they used to make railroad cars and buses."

Created: 6:20 AM 2/16/2022
Last updated: 6:20 AM 2/16/2022