14. The Secretary of State for External Affairs, referring to the discussion at the meeting of November 16th, 1951, reported that, as the population of the villages of northern Greece was on the verge of starvation, various organizations in Canada had made appeals for a gift of No. 5 wheat similar to that made in November by the Greek War Relief Fund. At that time the U.S. Economic Assistance Administration had given an undertaking to the Fund to provide ocean transportation at its expense. The Canadian Red Cross Society had now indicated that, if the government would contribute 503,000 bushels of No. 5 wheat, at a cost of some $825,000, it would, subject to the abovementioned undertaking regarding ocean transportation, arrange for the milling of the wheat in Canada and its transportation to seaboard. It would also guarantee that the flour would be properly distributed by representatives of the Greek Red Cross Society.
On humanitarian grounds, he recommended, with the concurrence of the Minister of Trade and Commerce, approval of these proposals subject to certain conditions.

An explanatory memorandum had been circulated.

(Minister's memorandum, Feb. 5, 1952 - - Cab. Doc. 36-52)^?

15. The Cabinet, after discussion, approved the recommendation of the Secretary of State for External Affairs, concurred in by the Minister of Trade and Commerce, and agreed that:

(a) a gift of 500,000 bushels of No. 5 wheat, at a cost of approximately $825,000, be donated immediately to the Canadian Red Cross Society for milling into flour as a contribution to famine relief for Greece, on the understanding that it be ground in the Western Division mills as defined in the Canada Grain Act, 1930, and that the Society be requested to call for tenders in letting the flour contract; and,

(b) provision for the necessary funds be made in the final supplementary estimates of the Department of External Affairs for the fiscal year 1951-52; the Wheat Board to be requested to supply the wheat on this understanding.³⁹

. . .