Cartoon Articles Archive

This cartoon appeared in a November, 1940 issue of the Canadian Countryman magazine. The broad context for the cartoon was the Second World War which Canada had entered on the side of Great Britain on September 10, 1939. At first, the Canadian government had planned for a limited and short war, and had in fact promised not to introduce conscription for overseas military service (no doubt anticipating its disastrous consequences during the First World War). However, the fall of France in June...

This cartoon, published in the June 14, 1924 issue of the Canadian Countryman celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the Ontario Agricultural College (now part of the modern University of Guelph). The cartoon features Old Man Ontario (representing the people of the province) congratulating the stylized representation of Science and Agriculture on their successful marriage. The Old Residence building is depicted in the background, which would become popularly known as ‘Johnston...

The horses referred to in this advertisement are of course symbolic, referring to the horsepower inside farmer’s farm and personal vehicles in 1955. Spark plugs, a key component to engine ignition systems, saw various designs throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, primarily stemming from Europe. AC Spark Plugs were the product of one of the pioneers that brought the technology to the North American continent. AC Spark Plugs was founded by a European, Albert...

This cartoon, published in the October 11, 1924 edition of the Canadian Countryman magazine, expresses one of the main complaints of the United Farmers movement in Ontario in the post-war period. The formal peace treaty that ended the First World War did not put an end to the severe social disruptions it had caused. Farmers were particularly hard hit as the prices of agricultural produce returned to pre-war levels at the same time as the cost of raw materials produced in urban industrial...

This advertisement was originally published in 1920 for Carhartt Overalls, a U.S. based work-clothing manufacturer. The brand, originally created for railroad workers, is here seen being promoted to Canadian farmers. From 1910 until the Great Depression Carhartt manufactured for the Canadian market in Toronto, Vancouver and Walkerville. Carrhart’s advertised image featured a focus on quality and honesty in manufacturing; each pair of overalls contained a “Union Made” tag....