New Canadian Navy

The New Canadian Navy is a now-extinct faction that once dwelled in the Motor City Wasteland. Once affiliated with the Canadian Resistance, the New Canadian Navy was a group of Canadian citizens and Detroiters who used personally-owned speedboats to smuggle people and supplies across the Detroit River.

Background
With Canada under U.S. military occupation, travel between the two countries became restricted and supplies within Canada were limited. Food and medicine were often rationed and usually in short supply. Because of this, smuggling occurred across the river and a black market formed in Canadian cities. Those with the means to acquire such goods could charge exorbitant prices and desperate people would pay. The smugglers ranged from everyday citizens on both sides of the river who owned sailboats and speedboats and were brave enough to cross the military blockade, to U.S. soldiers stationed in Canada willing to steal rations and medicine to make a quick buck. Some Detroit businesses even got involved, knowing their goods would fetch a much higher price across the river. Sometimes people were smuggled across the river as well, desperate people fleeing the military oppression in Canada and looking for a fresh start in the U.S. The smugglers profited greatly and expanded their businesses. They bought up warehouses along the riverside and built faster speedboats capable of outrunning the military, with hidden compartments to stash contraband. Belle Isle became an important layover stop for people fleeing Canada, where they waited while new documents were forged and transportation was arranged to bring them into Detroit.

The smugglers became affiliated with the Canadian Resistance when the latter arrived in Tecumseh. Both groups operated outside the law so it was only natural the two would meet. The Canadian Resistance saw the smugglers as a way to acquire guns and sneak their members into the U.S. The smugglers were happy to meet their needs since smuggling guns paid a lot more than smuggling food. Many would've stopped bringing food and medicine altogether if the Canadian Resistance hadn't paid them to continue doing so. In time, much of the smuggling was done under the direction of the Canadian Resistance and the group took over the black market. They nicknamed the smugglers and their boats "the New Canadian Navy" and it became vital in their fight against the military occupation.

Behind the Scenes

 * The name "New Canadian Navy" is a reference to the Little Jewish Navy, a group of Detroit gangsters who smuggled liquor from Canada by boat during Prohibition.