Ça ne vaut rien du tout si ça vient trop tard! [It's worth nothing at all if it comes too late!]

A painted hand reaches up from a stormy sea toward a lifebuoy that is still out of reach, above a French text urging Canadian war workers to produce more. The drowning hand makes the cost of delay concrete (fear-appeal), and the closing line 'Il ne faut pas que des braves meurent par MA faute', with MA enlarged, places personal blame on the individual reader (identity-fusion).

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Fear appeal Identity fusion

Date: 1942
Period: Second World War
Made by: Ministère des Munitions et Approvisionnements du Canada (Department of Munitions and Supply), Ottawa; painting signed in the lower right
Region: North America
Country: Canada
Medium: Poster
Issuer type: State
Regime: Mackenzie King Government
Leader: William Lyon Mackenzie King
Audience: Domestic public
Purpose: Mobilize or secure compliance
Themes: Home front, War and the military
Event: World War II
Source: Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights: Public domain (Canadian Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired; no URAA restoration)
Ministère des Munitions et Approvisionnements du Canada (Department of Munitions and Supply). U.S. National Archives, World War II Foreign Posters (NAID 44268087).

Text on the object

Original (French) · read from the image, not independently checked

ÇA NE VAUT RIEN DU TOUT
si ça vient trop tard!

Les plans établis pour la production de guerre sur
ce continent sont formidables. Vers 1945, la
production d'avions, de tanks et de munitions sera
phénoménale.

Si ce n'est pas trop tard!

En ce moment, les usines canadiennes produisent
à plein rendement. Elles font de leur mieux pour
combler les vides dans les lignes de défense des
Alliés. Un flot d'approvisionnements et de
machines de guerre se dirige continuellement du
Canada vers la Grande-Bretagne, la Russie, la
Chine et l'Afrique du Nord. C'est aux Canadiens
de faire en sorte que leurs usines et leurs fabriques
produisent encore plus—et toujours plus. La
provision doit s'accroître chaque jour.

Si l'ennemi n'était qu'à cinquante milles d'ici,
pourriez-vous faire plus que vous ne faites actuellement? Si vous entendiez déjà le roulement des
canons ennemis, travailleriez-vous plus longtemps,
plus fort et plus assidûment?

Là-bas, au front, de braves jeunes gens
demandent à grand cris: "Pour l'amour de Dieu,
donnez-nous des avions, des tanks et des canons."
Qu'il ne soit pas dit que ces avions, ces tanks et
ces canons sont arrivés trop tard parce que vous
n'avez pas fait tout votre possible.

IL NE FAUT PAS QUE DES BRAVES MEURENT PAR MA FAUTE

Ce message est publié par le Ministère des Munitions et Approvisionnements du Canada
[signature and date at lower right of painting:] [illegible] '42

English translation (machine translation by Claude, not verified by a fluent reader)

IT'S WORTH NOTHING AT ALL
if it comes too late!

The plans drawn up for war production on this continent are formidable. By 1945, the production of aircraft, tanks and munitions will be phenomenal.

If it is not too late!

At this moment, Canadian factories are producing at full capacity. They are doing their best to fill the gaps in the Allies' lines of defence. A stream of supplies and war machines is flowing continually from Canada to Great Britain, Russia, China and North Africa. It is up to Canadians to see that their plants and factories produce still more, and always more. The supply must grow every day.

If the enemy were only fifty miles from here, could you do more than you are doing now? If you already heard the rumble of enemy guns, would you work longer, harder and more steadily?

Over there, at the front, brave young men are crying out: "For the love of God, give us aircraft, tanks and guns." Let it not be said that these aircraft, tanks and guns arrived too late because you did not do everything you could.

BRAVE MEN MUST NOT DIE BECAUSE OF ME

This message is published by the Department of Munitions and Supply of Canada
[signature and date at lower right of painting:] [illegible] '42