30. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration said that Mr. Isaacs, Minister of Trade and Industry of Jamaica, while on a recent visit to Ottawa, had enquired whether the Canadian government would be prepared to agree to an arrangement under which a certain number of Jamaicans would be admitted to Canada, not as immigrants but on a temporary basis to serve as domestics for a period of one or two years, at the conclusion of which time they would return to Jamaica. The Jamaican government would be prepared to establish an agency in Canada with responsibility to make sure that the Jamaican domestics honoured their commitments and were returned to the island following their period of service in Canada.

Mr. Isaacs was fully aware of the government's policy on immigration from the British West Indies and he did not suggest that this policy be changed, but it would help Canada-Jamaican relations if some scheme such as he had outlined could be put into effect.

31. In the course of discussion the following points emerged:

(a) The prohibition against immigration from the British West Indies seemed somewhat anomalous in view of the fact that Indian immigrants were admitted to Canada on a limited quota basis. There might be some merit in establishing a quota for the B.W.I. If this were agreed, the best time might be when the Federation of the British West Indies came into being in the next year or two.

(b) The temporary entry of domestics from Jamaica could give rise to a number of problems. It might be difficult to establish fully effective controls on the movements of these persons. There were the added problems of possible marriage and birth and the reluctance of employers to lose good servants at the end of the stipulated period.

(c) As a gesture of good will and in the interest of Canada's important trade relations with Jamaica, it might be advisable to agree to an arrangement along the lines suggested by Mr. Isaacs, at least on a trial basis. Any such scheme that might be established should perhaps be under the administration of the National Employment Service of the Department of Labour rather than under the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

(d) It was suggested that the Ministers of Labour and of Citizenship and Immigration might investigate the possibility of working out an arrangement with the Jamaican government under which, say, 100 domestics would be admitted to Canada as non-immigrants for a trial period of a year or two.

32. The Cabinet,

(a) noted the report by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on a suggestion made by the Minister of Trade and Industry of Jamaica, Mr. W.O. Isaacs, that an arrangement be worked out under which the Canadian government would admit, as non-immigrants, a certain number of Jamaicans who would be employed exclusively as domestics in Canada for a period of one or two years, following which they would be returned to Jamaica;

(b) agreed that the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration investigate the possibility and desirability of working out an arrangement along the lines suggested by Mr. Isaacs for a trial period of one or two years; and,

(c) agreed that further consideration be given to the desirability of establishing an immigration quota for the British West Indies, perhaps at the time the British West Indies Federation came into being.