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.

A promotional portrayal of cottage country in the Huntsville area, the film acknowledges this was Indigenous land. Visitors travel on boats called ‘Algonquin’ and ‘Iroquois.’ Cottagers enjoy various activities on water and land, such as tennis, horseback riding and lawn bowling. An Indigenous man...

Fruit production in the Niagara Region is featured. Young women dubbed “Farmerettes” love the job of fruit picking. Their demeanor suggests nothing of the exploitation discussed in Carmela Patrias’s work on the Niagara Fruit Region on the period. Fresh fruit is sold at market, while some is proce...

This documentary provides a detailed look at silver mining in the Cobalt, Ontario area. The work of an underground miner is shown in some detail. The film captures some of the environmental impact that mining had on the area. The inclusion of the value of what is mined reflects the enormous wealt...

Using herring as bait, fishers catch halibut in a large region off the coast of British Columbia, from the Strait of Juan de Fuca all way to Kodiak Island to the north. Fishers, in boats of 6 to 20 men then bring their haul on a larger “mothership” to be processed in factories in Prince Rupert. A...

Injuries and fatalities are a serious issue at an electrical utility. Management thinks it is due to worker carelessness. A lineman named Jim is planning to marry on this day but “won’t take safety seriously”. He lives in a boarding house, is late for work and is not yet married. The more fastidi...