A cookbook written for the women of Manitoba, by a company that was so involved in the process of urbanization, unmistakably provides information about the society and culture of western Canada. As the company is twice as old as the country itself, it has become an integral part of Canada’s past and present, and it has done so by remaining relevant in a society that is continuously changing at a fast pace. Those living in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the year 1948, like those in most other large Canadian cities, were adjusting to life following the end of World War II in 1945. While the war challenged the luxury of retail consumption, the rise in the economy for the first time since the 1920’s led to the urge for spending, thus a market for products to help women with household tasks emerged. The idea that shopping was not only a women’s chore but a means for her to achieve various desirable ends, would thus be enhanced during and following war time. The HBC ultimately became an extension of the household for the patron and the wife by providing the elite women in society with a commodity that is both convenient and useful to them as hostesses. 

As Department stores thrived on women’s subordinate positions by targeting their responsibilities of domestic labour and offering them opportunities for socializing, leisure, and creativity through products aimed at assisting women in homemaking and ornamentation tasks they were obtaining economic power. With the instructions and services the book refers its readers to, the company is promoting a life capable of luxury and happiness that conforms to the values of freedom, individualism and choice that were present in society. It was clear that the HBC had goals of both justifying and enforcing social hierarchies, as the role of the hostess was of considerable importance during this time. The women of this exclusive group played an integral role in maintaining the ideal lifestyle that was considered appropriate for an elite family in mid-twentieth century, Winnipeg. Social events women were known to host, such as teas, dinners, and other informal gatherings were what would characterize this high society. By catering to the needs of women in a changing society the HBC store located in Winnipeg was achieving its goals to provide a clear image of what modern Canadian women should look like, based on local standards, in order to gain capital. One can assume that the book would be perceived well by the women of Winnipeg as it was during a time when they strived to be seen as intelligent, busy and in many cases, hard-working human beings, aiming to achieve a healthy, and comfortable middle-class lifestyle for their families.