The Military Museums

A Better World: Post War Social Movements and the Canadian Veteran

The exhibition, "A Better World", is currently on display in the Atrium at The Military Museums. The exhibit looks at the involvement of Canadian veterans in the major social movements of the post-First World War period, including veterans rights, the labour movement, minority rights and pacifism. Here are some statistics:

Ove 170,000 military personnel were wounded during the war, many to such a degree that they could not return to their previous jobs
In 1919, there were 211 strikes across Canada in the worst year of labour relations post war; veterans were involved in both sides in all of these disputes
Japanese-Canadian veterans gained the federal right to vote in 1919, but could not vote in British Columbia until 1931

This exhibition includes stories from across Canada and looks at the post war careers of several soldiers including Lt. F.O. Loft (Onondeyoh) of the Six Nations of the Grand River, author Will Bird and labour activist Roger Ernest Bray.

"A Better World" is presented by the Canadian Centre for the Great War, a charitable heritage organisation based in Montreal that promotes the social history of the First World War in Canada. Our travelling exhibitions have been crossing the country since 2017, and have appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, the Calgary Herald, and Global Toronto, among others.

This exhibition has been made possible with funding from Heritage Canada, The Zeller Family Foundation, and Veterans Affairs Canada.

"Veterans were not always happy with the Canada that they returned to after the First World War, but while many decided to simply get on with their lives as best they could, some committed themselves to demanding more. Whether it was for veterans’ rights, the labour movement or to hold the Canadian government accountable for its wartime promises, veterans were actively involved in nearly all of the popular social movements of the time. I hope that viewers will come away from this exhibition with a sense of pride what veterans can achieve and their consistent post-war vision of a better Canada"
Caitlin Bailey, Curator and Executive Director

Tanks & Tacos

Date: Oct 1, 2021: 7pm - 10pm - POSTPONED

With the new COVID-19 restrictions now in place, the Tanks and Tacos event has been postponed until the Spring or Summer of 2022. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Did someone say Tacos... and Tanks! Join us for a night at the museum for both.

Have you ever wanted to go inside a tank? This is your chance!

Join us for a last blast of summer here at the military museums. Anejo Tacos will be serving up their delicious tacos and cocktails for you to enjoy in our tank park.

Visitors must purchase tickets for the event in order to attend. See the Eventbrite link below.

Admission: