The Government of Ontario sought to promote the province to tourists and ‘sportsmen’ by featuring its abundant lakes, forests and fish. ‘Native lore’ is used to explain the beauty of the 30 Thousand Islands, near Parry Sound. The ease of travel to this wilderness is communicated to wealthy travel...

The plight of young unmarried working women was a concern in the growing
cities of the early 20th century. Women working in cities could be tempted by
‘vices’, such as dancing, shopping and dated and thus neglect their work. This film is a morality play, starring a “good” factory girl and “bad” f...

The production of shells during WWI introduced unprecedented levels of mechanization to the metal industry. Just a couple of years before this film was made, machinists staged a series of strikes, opposing the de-skilling and work intensification that threatened their work. Yet, these struggles a...

The social control of children was a growing concern in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. This film opens with young children playing on the sidewalk, unsupervised. To ensure a healthy environment and avoid “criminal propensities” in school age children, several playgrounds and recreati...

Felled timber is taken down the Mattagami, a Northern Ontario River. The men who guide the logs on “the drive” are “famous for their dexterity” as poling and burling are demonstrated. In an amusing sequence the men are shown as “proverbial for their appetite.” The independence that workers enjoye...

The sudden death of Thomas Stanley, a successful but ‘extravagant’ man leaves his wife, son and daughter in difficult circumstances. They search for boarders to help make ends meet. What follows is a morality tale about the importance of properly addressing letters and parcels.