The Early Cold War
Rebuilding and Transformation

The Canadian navy's main Cold War mission was anti-submarine warfare, as it had been in the two world wars. It sought to build a force of ships, personnel, and facilities to fulfill this mission, as well as to pursue other national objectives like sovereignty protection.

HMCS Labrador

HMCS Labrador, seen here against the backdrop of an iceberg, was the Royal Canadian Navy's only icebreaker.

Built in Canada and based on an American icebreaker design, Labrador was the result of studies and plans that started in the late 1940s. Design features included a flight deck (left) and hangar (centre left) for helicopters to transport personnel and examine ice conditions, and a small launch called Pogo for surveying shallow, poorly charted waters. Labrador was tangible evidence of the increasing military importance of the Canadian Arctic and of the Canadian government's interest in asserting national sovereignty.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19920085-1004