The first film in the series was Legg's Atlantic Patrol, released in April 1940, about the Royal Canadian Navy's role in protecting convoys from Halifax to the United Kingdom from U-boat attack.
[2] One of the most famous films from this series was his Churchill's Island, released in Canada in June 1941 and winner of the first Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
[3][4] The narrator for many of the films in the series was Lorne Greene, known for his work on radio broadcasts as a news announcer at CBC.
[6] The success of Canada Carries On inspired a second NFB series, The World in Action, which was more tailored to international audiences.
After the six-month theatrical tour ended, the films were made available on 16 mm to schools, libraries, church basements and factories, extending their life for another year or two.