You will recall that you asked me to let you know what was being done about the objections put forward by the Belgian authorities regarding the establishment of Belgian immigrants in Canada.³

2. This question was originally raised in a notet to the Ambassador in Brussels which expressed the hope that Belgians would no longer be induced to emigrate to Canada without assured employment. Apparently a few Belgian immigrants have started off to Canada under their own arrangements with over-optimistic hopes of immediate success and have found upon their arrival that conditions here are differ­ent from those they had expected and have had the usual difficulties in adjustment. Some have sought the assistance of the Belgian Consulate General in Montreal.

3. The Ambassador in Brussels discussed the matter with the Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry and learned from him that the note had been sent out by a junior official without his personal knowledge. He stated, however, that the Belgian Government could not assume responsibility for the support of Belgians who had entered Canada for permanent residence. He realized that it would be impossible to expect 100% of the immigrants to be successful but stressed that they should be carefully warned in advance of conditions in Canada, and suggested that each emi­grant, upon receiving his visa, be given a leaflet stating that the Belgian Govern­ment could not accept any responsibility for his welfare in Canada.

4. The Director of Immigration, to whom this matter has been referred, has stated that the movement of Belgian immigrants to Canada this year has been very suc­cessful on the whole and very few problem cases have come to his notice.

5. The Immigration Superintendent in Montreal has already been asked to get in touch with the Belgian Consulate-General there to discuss individual cases. Arrangements are also being made for an informal meeting between the Immigra­tion authorities and an official of the Belgian Embassy in order to obtain a clearer picture of the types of problems which are being encountered. The Ambassador in Brussels will be informed of the results of these discussions so that he may give a final reply to the Foreign Ministry's note.

6. I do not think that improper inducements or undertakings have been given to prospective immigrants by Canadian Immigration Officers in Brussels. One must however always bear in mind that in this business the financial interests of travel agents are inevitably involved. Over the statements of such persons the Canadian Immigration people abroad have little or no control.⁴

A.D.P. H[EENEY]

³ Note marginale :/Marginal note:
I don't think that the Belgians should feel that we have any special responsibility for their emigrants who come to Canada of their own free will. But it must be "of their own free will". If the Belgians get sticky in this matter, we should ask them frankly whether they wish us to close our immigration office in Brussels. L.B.P[earson].

⁴ Note marginale :/Marginal note:
Mr. Ldger/Cons[ular] Div[ision]: See Minister's direction. Aug 24 A.D.P.H[eeney]