The Cabinet Committee on Immigration Policy at its meeting of December 15/48 considered the admission of Ukrainians from among the 8,000 captured in Italy, in German uniform, subsequently transferred to the United Kingdom and detained there as prisoners of war. Because of their service in the German Armed Forces it was then decided aliens in this group should not be admitted to Canada.

Subsequent to this decision most of these aliens were released in the United Kingdom for employment in a civilian capacity and approaches were made by the United Kingdom as to whether Canada would accept:

(a) A proportion of the fit men who were unsuitable for employment in the United Kingdom;

(b) The long term sick who would be maintained by the Ukrainian community in Canada, and

(c) Disabled men who were suitable for light work.

Ukrainian organizations in Canada have urged the admission from this body of Ukrainian individuals those who have first degree relatives in Canada and others found to come within the admissible classes.

The matter was considered by the Cabinet on September 13th, 1949, (Cab. Doc. 1037) and it was agreed that the admission of individuals from the group in question should be refused.

Under existing directions, aliens of allied or neutral nationality who served with the enemy forces, during the War, are not admitted to Canada unless they can definitely establish such service was rendered under compulsion. The group under consideration served voluntarily in the German Armed Forces.

In view of the change in the Immigration Regulations effective March 28th, 1950 (Orders in Council P.C. 1606 and P.C. 1608) permitting the admission of Volkdeutsche displaced persons and refugees who acquired German nationality subsequent to September 1st, 1939 and German nationals who are first degree relatives of residents of Canada, it is recommended that Ukrainians who were in the United Kingdom as prisoners of war be admitted to Canada notwithstanding their service in the enemy forces, provided that they come within the admissible classes defined in paragraphs 4 (close relatives of Canadian residents), and 5(c) (farm labourers destined to assured farm employment) of P.C. 2743 of June 22, 1949, and otherwise comply with the provisions of the immigration Act.

W.E. HARRIS