Skip to main content
Watch later

Welcome Soldier

2017• 14 minPG

Synopsis

A $2,000 bonus and a month’s pay await veterans as they transition from military service to civilian life in post-World War II Canada.

Deep Dive

Why Watch

  • Find out how veterans transition back to civilian life.
  • See the support systems established for returning servicemen.
  • Meet veterans discussing their job preferences and needs.

Did You Know

  • Since 1941, Canada has led Allied nations in post-war assistance for veterans.
  • Veterans receive a month's pay and allowances for their families upon discharge.
  • Bill Mitchell, a veteran, can return to his peacetime job with seniority.

Perfect For

Veterans and their familiesEmployment policy advocatesHistory enthusiasts
Read full Deep Dive →
Frequently Asked Questions

What benefits do veterans receive upon discharge?

Veterans receive a month's pay, allowances for their family, a clothing grant, a bonus that may be as high as $2,000, and a rail pass to their home or point of enlistment.

What is the purpose of the Department of Pensions and National Health for veterans?

The Department of Pensions and National Health provides welfare officers who are veterans themselves, helping discharged servicemen readjust to civilian life and find employment.

What preference do veterans have in job placement after service?

Veterans receive preference for jobs where government contracts have been assigned and can return to their previous peacetime jobs with seniority.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Canadian Screen Magazine No. 4 (2021)
10m

Canadian Screen Magazine No. 4

2021•10m

More than 4,000 men and women work to convert military aircraft into commercial airliners after World War II.

Canadian Screen Magazine No. 4
2021
Forgotten Warriors (2020)
51m

Forgotten Warriors

2020•51m

Thousands of Indigenous Canadians enlisted in World War II, despite being told by the government that they had no business fighting in the conflict.

Forgotten Warriors
2020
A Welcome to Britain (2014)
38m

A Welcome to Britain

2014•38m

In 1943, U.S. soldiers learned about British pubs, where patrons gather for companionship and drink warm beer, in an orientation film produced by the Department of Defense.

A Welcome to Britain
2014
Fields of Sacrifice (2010)
38m

Fields of Sacrifice

2010•38m

Battlefields across Europe and Asia, where over 100,000 Canadian soldiers perished in the World Wars, are explored alongside their cemeteries.

Fields of Sacrifice
2010
Open Secrets (2022)
52m

Open Secrets

2022•52m•★6.7TMDB

Homosexual behaviour among Canadian soldiers during and after World War II led to military tribunals and public exposure, as revealed by veterans in José Torrealba's documentary.

Open Secrets
2022
The Great War - Part 1 (2025)
1h30m

The Great War - Part 1

2025•1h30m

Canada's involvement in World War I is portrayed through historical recreations featuring descendants of soldiers, highlighting key events like the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The Great War - Part 1
2025
The Forgotten Black Soldiers Of WWII - Black Liberators WWII (2023)
1h6m

The Forgotten Black Soldiers Of WWII - Black Liberators WWII

2023•1h6m

Robert Bud Jones, one of the last surviving Black Canadian veterans of World War II, fought in Europe and passed away in 2021.

The Forgotten Black Soldiers Of WWII - Black Liberators WWII
2023
Unwanted Soldiers (2025)
49m

Unwanted Soldiers

2025•49m•★8.0TMDB

Jari Osborne reflects on her father's experiences as a Chinese-Canadian veteran in World War II, highlighting the discrimination faced by British Columbia's Chinese-Canadian community.

Unwanted Soldiers
2025
Georges P. Vanier: Soldier, Diplomat, Governor General (2020)
29m

Georges P. Vanier: Soldier, Diplomat, Governor General

2020•29m

Georges P.

Georges P. Vanier: Soldier, Diplomat, Governor General
2020
"Civil Rights: Then and Now" National Conversation on in Atlanta Highlights (2016)
12m

"Civil Rights: Then and Now" National Conversation on in Atlanta Highlights

2016•12m

Moderated by Jelani William Cobb, a panel featuring Dr. Kurt Young and Ouleye Ndoye discusses the evolution of civil rights in America at a national conversation in Atlanta.

"Civil Rights: Then and Now" National Conversation on in Atlanta Highlights
2016
The Air Force Missile Mission (2015)
24m

The Air Force Missile Mission

2015•24m

James Stewart narrates a detailed overview of the U.S. Air Force's missile program and its strategic importance during the Cold War era.

The Air Force Missile Mission
2015
Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History (2019)
1h6m

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History

2019•1h6m

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed more people worldwide than combat during World War One.

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History
2019

Explore Welcome Soldier

Deep DiveTopicsFAQ

Where else to watch

The Good Soldier (2009)
Worth a watch
1h20m

The Good Soldier

2009•1h20m•★7.0TMDB

Five American veterans from World War II, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq share their experiences of combat and the meaning of being a soldier.

The Good Soldier
2009
Movie Showman (1989)
29m

Movie Showman

1989•29m•★10.0TMDB

Over 100 rural communities in Canada experienced film screenings and discussions thanks to the NFB's itinerant projectionists in the 1940s and early 1950s.

Movie Showman
1989
Coming Out Under Fire (1994)
Worth seeking out
1h12m

Coming Out Under Fire

1994•1h12m•★4.3TMDB

More than 15,000 homosexual soldiers faced persecution as the United States military labeled them "sex perverts" and "mentally ill" during World War II.

Coming Out Under Fire
1994
Escape To Canada (2005)
1h20m

Escape To Canada

2005•1h20m•★5.1TMDB

In the summer of 2003, Canada legalized same-sex marriage and relaxed marijuana laws, attracting American soldiers and couples seeking refuge from U.S. policies.

Escape To Canada
2005
The Way We Get By (2009)
Worth an evening
1h24m

The Way We Get By

2009•1h24m•★5.0TMDB

Nearly one million U.S. troops are welcomed home by three senior citizens at Bangor International Airport over six years of volunteer service.

The Way We Get By
2009
Myanmar Diaries (2022)
Worth seeking out
1h10m

Myanmar Diaries

2022•1h10m•★7.3TMDB

Following the February 1, 2021 coup, citizens of Myanmar express their struggles against military rule through personal stories and artistic expression.

Myanmar Diaries
2022

Browse more like this

The Crucible (2002)
1h46m

The Crucible

2002•1h46m•★10.0TMDB

Over 5,000 Canadian soldiers landed on the beaches at Dieppe during World War II, facing significant challenges and heavy losses.

The Crucible
2002
The Last 100 Days (1999)
1h30m

The Last 100 Days

1999•1h30m•★10.0TMDB

General Arthur Currie led Canadian troops to significant victories against German forces in the final 100 days of World War I in France and Belgium.

The Last 100 Days
1999
He Has Seen War (2011)
53m

He Has Seen War

2011•53m•★6.5TMDB

More than 50 veterans from Easy Company and the 1st Marine Division recount their World War II experiences and the challenges of returning to civilian life.

He Has Seen War
2011
The Battle of Vimy Ridge (1999)
2h

The Battle of Vimy Ridge

1999•2h•★10.0TMDB

Vimy Ridge, a pivotal location in northern France, was the site of a crucial 1917 battle where Canadian forces fought to establish national identity.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge
1999
Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film (1998)
1h28m

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film

1998•1h28m•★7.6TMDB

Abraham Zapruder's footage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, is digitally remastered to reveal new details and its impact on public perception.

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film
1998
Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story (2017)
26m

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story

2017•26m•★10.0TMDB

At 99 years old, Dorothy Toy Fong continues to perform, demonstrating her lifelong dedication to tap dance and the joy it brings to audiences.

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story
2017

Related Films

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →