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Documents on Canadian External Relations
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Volume #15 - 747. | |
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CHAPTER IX IMMIGRATION | |
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PART
2 DISPLACED PERSONS AND REFUGEES | |
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747. |
DEA/44‑GK‑40 |
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Memorandum from Head, Consular Division to Acting Under‑Secretary of State for External Affairs | |
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[Ottawa],
January 29th, 1949 | |
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Some time ago we discussed the possibility of reviving the proposal under which the Government of Canada would have made a broad gesture toward the anti‑communists who escaped from Czechoslovakia. I have been making what enquiries I can as to the desirability of our doing anything more in this direction and have come to the conclusion that the time has passed at which anything useful might be done. Senator [Cairine] Wilson has succeeded in getting a Committee together and has collected some $3,000. She hopes to get more. Her Committee has already given some assistance to the few of these refugee Czechs who have arrived in Canada. You will remember that at least in part as a result of our own efforts a decision was taken to admit 1,000 of these people. So far about 30 have come and I understand that there is a similar group on the way. Their placement has not been very easy as, although theoretically they came forward for specific work, they were not all quite suitable and there has been a certain degree of clashing between our friends the Nemecs8 and the Labour Department. I notice in the Immigration‑Labour Committee that there is a stiffening of resistance to immigration movements. There is no indication of any great anxiety on the part of these Czechs to come to Canada and though I was very keen on the project when it was first mooted I do not think in the present atmosphere we should make any progress with the proposal to admit a considerable number of white‑collar workers. Unless you have contrary views, therefore, I should be inclined to leave matters as they are and see how things work out concerning the approved thousand9 L[ESLIE] CHANCE 8Voir/See: Volume 14, Documents 800‑801. 9 Note marginale:/Marginal note: I agree E[scotl] R[eid] | |
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