Background:

On April 30, 1948 the Director-General of UNESCO asked for Canadian comments on a draft Convention for Facilitating the International Circulation of Visual and Auditory Materials of an Educational, Scientific and Cultural Character. After consultation with the National Film Board, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Departments of Justice, Finance, Trade and Commerce and National ReveIrue (Customs), the Canadian Delegation to the Third Session of the General Conference of UNESCO was instructed to support the draft Convention. The Convention was adopted by the General Conference; among the amendments supported by Canada, the change of title from "Convention" to "Agreement" has subsequently been accepted.

The final text of the draft Agreement, a copy of which is attached, † has been deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who in a note dated June 27, 1949 informed the Secretary of State for External Affairs that the Agreement would be open for signature by all the Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at Lake Success from July 15 to December 31, 1949.

Considerations:

The only new obligations which this Agreement would impose upon Canada are

    (a) the possibility that some minor amendments to the Canadian tariff might be required;

    (b) that, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 2, some Agency of the Canadian Government would have to certify that materials are of an educational, cultural or scientific character within the meaning of Article 1 of the Agreement. While the application to admit these materials free of duty would not involve any appreciable sacrifice on Canada's part since most of the materials are already on the free list, Canada would on the other hand gain from participation in the Agreement the free admission of these materials, in particular, films and recordings, into the United States.

Recommendation:

In view of the general agreement of interested Government Departments and agencies on the desirability of Canada's participation, it is recommended that the Canadian Government approve the principle of Canadian adherence to the Draft Agreement for Facilitating the International Circulation of Visual and Auditory Materials of an Educational, Scientific and Cultural Character."

⁹³Le Cabinet donna son approbation en principe à cette recommandation, le 3 aout 1949. Le général A.G.L. McNaughton avait été autorisé à signer l'entente en vertu du C.P. 5736, du 10 novembre 1949.
Cabinet approved this recommendation in principle on August 3, 1949. General A.G.L. McNaughton was authorized to sign the agreement by P.C. 5736 of November 10, 1949.