Boosters and Barkers: Financing Canada's Involvement in the First World War

Witness to Yesterday (The Champlain Society Podcast on Canadian History)

Larry Ostola speaks with David Roberts about Boosters and Barkers: Financing Canada's Involvement in the First World War. Boosters and Barkers by David Roberts explores Canada's efforts to finance its participation in World War I through public contributions, particularly war bonds. The book examines how Ottawa appealed to citizens for financial support, incorporating imperial funding, taxation, and other revenue sources. Using print, images, and music, Canada’s bond campaigns generated significant public engagement, raising nearly a third of the country’s $6.6 billion war costs. The story highlights the necessity of funding, propaganda strategies, public resistance, and the lasting financial impact of the war. David Roberts is a retired editor of the Dictionary of Canadian Biography/Dictionnaire biographique du Canada. In addition to writing many entries for the DCB, he is also the author of In the Shadow of Detroit: Gordon M. McGregor, Ford of Canada, and Motoropolis. He lives in Don Mills, Ontario. Image Credit: UBC Press If you like our work, please consider supporting it: bit.ly/support_WTY. Your support contributes to the Champlain Society’s mission of opening new windows to directly explore and experience Canada’s past.