CANADA’S MANPOWER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 30 June 1943, Page 5

CANADA’S MANPOWER

HOW IT HAS BEEN MOBILISED SOME NEW REGULATIONS Ottawa, June 25. How Canada has mobilised her manpower for war was revealed in (he Canadian House of Commons by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. Humphrey Mitchell. Of a total population of 8,720.000 aged 14 and over, 5,100,000 men and women, or almost 60 per cent, were in the Armed Forces or at work. Canada had to-day a total of 1,700,000 in the Armed Services, war plants and associated industries. In addition, 2,i. 00,000 persons were in agriculture and essential civilian employment. These groups included 70 per cent of all the males in Canada of 14 years and over. “Manpower policy,” the Minister stated, "is to provide the greatest possible number for the Armed Forces while supplying the necessary men and women for war industries, farms, base metal mines, lumber camps, railways, and inland sea shipping. To meet this problem we have diverted men and women from low to high priority industries according to their skill and physical strength without depriving any young man or woman the privilege of serving voluntarily in the Armed Forces, with the single exception of coal mining.” Mr Mitchell announced new regulations: (1) Youths 16 to 18 were made subject to compulsory labour transfer orders in the same manner as men in the age groups that are liable for military service. (2) Selective service officers were given authority for compulsory direction for employment of men from 16 to 65 years of age to fuel wood cutting. This applies also to fishing and fish processing. (3) Bona fide teachers employed by a school, college or university could not be engaged in any other occupation without a special permit from a selective service officer.