CANADIAN INDUSTRIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1940, Page 11

CANADIAN INDUSTRIES

CONVERSION TO WAR NEEDS. OTTAWA. Canada's industries, at the outbreak of war, were already geared up to a scale of output that has made the Dominion the fourth exporting nation of the world. In pointing this out in a recent public address, the Hon. C. D. Howe, Canadian Minister of Transport, stated that these industries "are being converted to production of war supplies as rapidly as is required. Hydro-electric energy for industrial purposes is available in amounts several times greater than during the last war period.” Mr Howe stated that Canada was producing copper, zinc, lead, aluminium and nickel in quantities sufficient to supply Britain and her allies with their full requirements of these metals. In addition, gold was being mined in quantities that were of great assistance in Canada’s foreign exchange problems. The Dominion’s forest industries have been organised to supply Britain and France with a large part of their timber requirements. Canada s aeroplane industry, while young, is producing aeroplanes for war purposes to its full capacity. "We have in Canada,” he said, the largest surplus of wheat in our history —a great protection in time of war. Our production of bacon, cheese, and similar products is expanding and can yield large surpluses for shipment overseas. Our flour mills are already working at full capacity on export orders.”