En Garde. Les agents de l'ennemi ont l'oreille exercée à recueillir toutes sortes de renseignements [On Guard. The enemy's agents have an ear trained to gather all kinds of information]
A text-only French-language poster under the Canadian royal arms warns that enemy agents have an ear trained to collect every kind of information, and lists seven subjects not to discuss, from ship movements to aircraft production. The fear appeal is the unseen listener: the reader is told the enemy is gathering their casual talk.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1940
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Service de l'Information, Ottawa, authorised by the Hon. J. G. Gardiner, Minister of National War Services, Canada
- Region
- North America
- Country
- Canada
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Mackenzie King Government
- Leader
- William Lyon Mackenzie King
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- War and the military, Security and surveillance
- 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)
Service de l'Information, Department of National War Services, Canada, c. 1940-1945. U.S. National Archives, RG 44.
Text on the object
EN GARDE Les agents de l'ennemi ont l'oreille exercée à recueillir toutes sortes de renseignements N'ÉCHAPPEZ AUCUN PROPOS QUI POURRAIT AIDER L'ENNEMI NE DISCUTEZ PAS DES MOUVEMENTS DE NAVIRES DES OUVRAGES DE DÉFENSE DES USINES DE MUNITIONS DES MOUVEMENTS DE TROUPES DE L'AMÉNAGEMENT DES PORTS DE LA PRODUCTION DES AVIONS DES ENTREPÔTS D'APPROVISIONNEMENTS SOYEZ SUR VOS GARDES Publiée par le Service de l'Information, Ottawa, avec l'autorisation de l'hon. J. G. Gardiner, ministre des Services nationaux de guerre.
ON GUARD The enemy's agents have an ear trained to gather all kinds of information LET NO REMARK SLIP THAT COULD HELP THE ENEMY DO NOT DISCUSS SHIP MOVEMENTS DEFENCE WORKS MUNITIONS FACTORIES TROOP MOVEMENTS PORT DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION SUPPLY DEPOTS BE ON YOUR GUARD Published by the Information Service, Ottawa, with the authorisation of the Hon. J. G. Gardiner, Minister of National War Services.
