Mutual Aid to the Soviet Union
I have conducted a very quick check to see what Canada was supplying to the Soviet Union under the Mutual Aid program. From what I can see, prior to July 1943 Canada was primarily supplying raw materials and foodstuffs in order for the Soviet Union to manufacture the material required to defeat the Germans and have the necessary food to help feed the factory workers and soldiers. We also repaired Soviet warships at Canadian dockyards and provided shell-making equipment. Substantial quantities of Canadian supplies were moved to the Soviet Union prior to the introduction of Mutual Aid in 1943 but these were largely made available by the United Kingdom by way of diversions of U.K. contracts in Canada which included 1,223 tanks and 1,348 Universal Carriers.
I have an interesting document which lists the amounts of surplus Canadian military clothing being sent to the Soviet Union in 1942 which probably explains the relative scarcity of late 1930s uniforms as we sent quite a lot to the Soviet Union.
Following the introduction of Mutual Aid to the Soviet Union and until March 1944 I still see large quantities of raw materials being supplied but also foodstuffs, machinery as well as 33 Universal Carriers and 340 vehicles.
What also has to be remembered is that the Canadian Government authorized the expenditures with credit being extended to our Allies so that they could receive the supplies they needed. Other recipients of Canadian Mutual Aid were: United Kingdom, France, China, India and Australia. Our friends in the U.S. can claim to have been the Arsenal of Democracy but Canada can certainly be regarded as the Arsenal of the Commonwealth.
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