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Documents on Canadian External Relations
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Volume #14 - 1062. | |
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CHAPTER XII EUROPE, THE SOVIET UNION AND THE MIDDLE EAST | |
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PART
5 POLOGNE | |
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SECTION
A GENERAL RELATIONS | |
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1062. |
DEA/8508-40 |
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Extract from Minutes of Meeting of Heads of Divisions | |
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SECRET |
Ottawa,
January 20th, 1948 |
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EMPLOYMENT OF POLISH GIRLS AT THE DIONNE SPINNING MILLS | |
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11. Mr. Reid said that for some time consideration had been given to preparing a suitable reply to a note of September 29, 1947, from the Polish Chargé d'Affaires asking for information about a number of adverse reports which he had received concerning conditions under which Polish girls were employed at the Dionne Spinning Mills. The Chargé stated that he had been informed that the girls were paid less than the minimum wage for Quebec, that they were kept under very strict supervision during leisure hours, that in the selection of girls the aim had been to choose only the most helpless kind of persons who would make docile workers, and that they were not allowed to learn English. 12. A misleading summary of this note had been published in the official bulletin of the Polish Foreign Ministry. This summary and stories which appeared in Polish newspapers suggested that the allegations had been proved true. The Department had therefore considered releasing to the press a copy of our reply to the Polish note and requesting that the Polish Government publish in the Foreign Office Bulletin a corrected summary of their note and a copy of our answer. 13. The Canadian Chargé d'Affaires in Warsaw ha/d, however, reported that there had been a lessening of Polish press attacks on Canada; it was felt therefore that no useful purpose would be served by giving further publicity to the matter at this time. Accordingly, a note was sent on January 16, setting forth the facts concerning conditions of employment and making it clear that if any of the girls was dissatisfied with conditions in Canada and wished to return to Poland, neither the Canadian Government nor her employers would have any objection. | |
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