Every Canadian Must Fight

Two stylised figures stand side by side against blue and red backgrounds: a soldier with a 'CANADA' shoulder flash and a worker in overalls, each holding part of a drum-magazine submachine gun. The headline 'Every Canadian Must Fight' merges soldier and worker into one national identity and addresses everyone ('every') as an obligation.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Identity fusionBandwagon

Date

1939

Period

Second World War

Made by

Director of Public Information, under authority of the Minister of National War Services (Hon. J. T. Thorson), Ottawa; artist Surrey

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

War and the military, Home front

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)
Director of Public Information / Department of National War Services, Ottawa, Canada, 1939-1945; artist Surrey. U.S. National Archives, Record Group 44.

EVERY CANADIAN MUST FIGHT

CANADA

ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION, UNDER AUTHORITY OF HON. J. T. THORSON, MINISTER OF NATIONAL WAR SERVICES, OTTAWA.
PRINTED IN CANADA
UE 3S

[signature in the artwork:] Surrey