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Documents on Canadian External Relations
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Volume #12 - 230. | |
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CHAPTER IV IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES | |
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PART
5 POLISH SOLDIERS | |
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230. |
DE A /5127-40 |
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Acting Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs to Minister of Labour | |
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CONFIDENTIAL |
Ottawa,
May 14th, 1946 |
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Dear Mr. Mitchell, 1. Before the Prime Minister left for England, the Under-Secretary submitted to him a memorandum' on the possibility of Canada agreeing to take demobilized Polish soldiers, man for man, in return for the German prisoners of-war which we would be returning to the United Kingdom. 2. As you know, we have been having discussions recently with the United Kingdom about the return to the United Kingdom of some thousands of German prisoners-of-war who are being used as agricultural labourers in various parts of Canada. The United Kingdom wish to have them back in accordance with an arrangement made some months ago and we are trying to hold on to them because of the immediate need for their services for food production here. 3. It was therefore suggested to the Prime Minister that by agreeing to take demobilized Polish soldiers in return for the German prisoners-of-war we would be getting a supply of heavy labour of a type which is in considerable demand, and that the movement, which might run to three or four thousand, would make an appreciable beginning on the very difficult task of disposing of the large forces of Polish soldiers in Western Europe who, for understandable reasons, are unwilling to return to Poland. The fact that the Polish soldiers would be coming to Canada as agricultural labourers or lumber workers to take the place specifically of German prisoners-of-war who would be shipped back, would diminish or remove the danger of political controversy. 4. In the ordinary course most of the Poles who are of the type from which a good part of our useful immigration has come, would probably settle here as valuable citizens. 5. The Prime Minister has approved this proposal in principle, adding that it should be made a matter of Cabinet consideration. 6. I am therefore sending a copy of this letter to Mr. Heeney so that the matter may be put on the agenda for early consideration by the Cabinet. H. H. WRONG 1Voir le document 106. | |
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