The 26th session of the Economic and Social Council will convene at the European Headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva on July 1, 1958.

At its forthcoming session the Council will be concerned for the most part with the problems of under-developed countries. In this respect it will take steps toward the establishment of the Special Fund which will make it possible for under-developed countries to undertake special projects in economic development. It will review the technical assistance activities of the United Nations and the Specialized Agencies, both with regard to the country programmes carried out in the under-developed countries and to the administrative and budgetary factors involved in their implementation. In addition it will consider the establishment of a world food reserve in which countries with food surpluses would assist food-deficit countries to build up national food reserves, and the establishment of an international administrative service to provide trained administrators from advanced countries to serve in the national civil services of under-developed countries.

2. Another major subject will be the Secretary-General's World Economic Survey and a study of recent inflationary trends throughout the world.

3. The Commission on Human Rights, the Statistical Commission, the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs have all submitted reports on their 1958 sessions to the Council for its consideration and approval. Canada serves on the three last Commissions.

4. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees presents his annual report to the General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council; as in past years, this report will be one of the major items on the social side of the Council's work.

5. General instructions for the Canadian Delegation and specific instructions on more important matters of policy are contained in the attachment to this memorandum. Approval for additional instructions will be sought with regard to the world food reserve, the international administrative service and the Special Fund.

6. It is proposed that the Canadian Delegation be under the leadership of Wallace B. Nesbitt, M.P., who will be Chairman of the Delegation and Alternate Representative. The Rules of Procedure of the Council relating to the composition of delegations make provision for the appointment of one Representative and as many Alternate Representatives as may be required. Dr. G.F. Davidson, Deputy Minister of Welfare, has been elected President of the Council for 1958. He will preside over the 26th session and formal considerations arising out of the Rules of Procedure require that he be designated as the Canadian Representative. It is proposed that in addition to Mr.Nesbitt and Dr.Davidson, the Canadian Delegation comprise the following persons to be designated as Alternate Representatives: M.H. Wershof, Q.C., Permanent Representative of Canada to the European Office of the United Nations, Geneva; S. Pollock, Director, International Programmes and Contributions, Department of Finance, and L.A.D. Stephens, Counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Bonn.

7. The approval of Cabinet is accordingly requested for:²⁸

   1. Instructions contained in the attachment to this memorandum and

   2. For the composition of the Canadian Delegation to the 26th session of ECOSOC as listed above.

Sidney Smith

[PIÈCE JOINTE/ENCLOSURE]

Note
Memorandum

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CANADIAN DELEGATION TO THE 26TH SESSION OF ECOSOC

When toward the end of the war the task was taken up of creating the United Nations as an instrument of world order, it was realized that the United Nations should provide for political stability and security but for economic and social needs as well. The years between the wars had brought home the increasing complexity of economic interrelations and the need for international machinery that could deal with them. In addition there were the problems of reconstruction and stabilization to be faced at the close of the war. It was visualized that for the most part these needs and problems would be met by functional bodies operating within specific fields. Some such bodies, for example the Universal Postal Union and the International Labour Organization, had come into existence earlier and had already proven their worth in peace time. Others such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Monetary Fund had been created during the war to anticipate the post-war situation. There was, however, the need for a body with a status comparable in some respects to that of the Security Council, to operate over the whole field of economic and social policy and to be responsible to the General Assembly for co-ordinating the work of the more specialized organs. Provision was therefore made in the Charter for the Economic and Social Council, to consist of 18 members elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms, and to consider and make recommendations to the General Assembly on international economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related matters and on the promotion of respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

2. In the years since its establishment ECOSOC has been faced by the fundamental fact of a sharp contrast between social and economic situations of the advanced and the under-developed countries and the vital bearing of this fact on the prospects for world peace and prosperity. Many of those under-developed countries which emerged at the end of the war or since from colonial control have brought an aroused nationalism and emotional anti-colonialism to heighten the divisions which have appeared between the advanced and the under-developed countries notwithstanding the strong common interest in rising productivity, increased purchasing power and elimination of barriers to the free flow of goods and capital. The split between the Soviet bloc and the free democracies of the West which has dominated the political field has added greatly to the long-range political and economic significance of such divisions.

3. Canada made a substantial contribution to the establishment of the Economic and Social Council and was one of the 18 countries initially elected to membership in 1946. In the years that have followed Canada has served two further terms on the Council. We will complete our present term at the end of 1958.

4. While giving full recognition to the essential role of the Council in the developing and increasingly complex pattern of international economic and social relationships, Canadian policy in ECOSOC has followed pragmatic lines, emphasizing the need to contain the Council's activities within the resources of funds and personnel available, the need for selection with a careful eye to the practical results to be expected, and the predominant role of the Council as a co-ordinating agency. We have aimed at improving relations between the advanced and under-developed countries. With this objective in mind Canadian delegations have been instructed to play as practical and constructive a role as possible even on proposals against which they might eventually have to vote; to keep in mind the necessity of close co-ordination with the United Kingdom and United States delegations; and to keep in mind the financial limitations on Canadian support generally applicable to United Nations programmes. Also delegations have been instructed to avoid unproductive propaganda debates which hamper the useful work of the Council but to reply as necessary to Soviet bloc delegations if East-West differences emerge.

5. In maintaining these well-established lines of Canadian policy the Delegation to the 26th session should bear in mind that Canada will this year be leaving the Council for an indefinite period and should indicate by active participation to the extent it considers appropriate the continued interest which we expect to take in the affairs of the Council and its increasingly important role in promoting the healthy and productive integration of the world society in the economic and social fields.

6. The following paragraphs contain more specific instructions on certain important items of the agenda. In addition, the approval of Cabinet will be sought for instructions concerning the World Food Reserve, the Special Fund for Economic Development and the International Administrative Service; and the Delegation will be informed of Cabinet's decisions.
   
   World Economic Survey
   
   

7. The Economic and Social Council each year holds a general discussion of world economic problems, for which the Secretary-General prepares a report entitled World Economic Survey . The World Economic Survey for 1957 deals with the inflationary trends experienced by many countries in the past three years and with the economic downturn which has become apparent in the Western world during 1957 and the early part of 1958. Itis critical of some of the economic policies followed during this period by the industrialized countries and draws attention to the difficulties which fluctuations in economic activity have created for the under-developed countries and particularly the instability in commodity prices. The Survey indicates that the recovery from the present downturn may not be so rapid as in earlier postwar recessions. It refers to the continued expansion of production, although at a slower rate of growth, in the centrally planned economies of the Soviet bloc.

8. During the session the Soviet bloc may be expected to expound their views on the instability of the economics of the Western countries and may seek the adoption of a resolution calling for some far-reaching measures to deal with world economic problems. Past Soviet initiatives of this sort (e.g. for a world economic conference or for a new world trade organization) have not received much support. The Canadian position on such issues has been and should continue to be that existing international machinery is adequate and flexible enough to deal with economic problems, although we recognize a need to use it more effectively. Emphasis might also be given to the importance which Canada attaches to the expansion of international trade and our desire to support moves aimed at improving international trading conditions.

9. If efforts are made by under-developed countries to seek from the United Nations fresh initiatives in various fields to increase the scale or scope of assistance to their economic development programmes, the Canadian Delegation should take the occasion to express, in suitable terms, its sympathy for the problems and needs of those countries. In this context, the Delegation might make appropriate reference to the tangible support which Canada has given not only through many United Nations aid programmes for under-developed countries but through other programmes like the Colombo Plan. As further evidence of our genuine interest in the problems of the under-developed countries, the Delegation might point out that Canada has already expressed its readiness to join with others in offering support for the Special Fund which is now under consideration by the Council. Although the exact Canadian position on the Special Fund will be developed in the debate on the report of the Preparatory Committee which was established to prepare recommendations for the inauguration of the Special Fund, the Delegation should make it clear that Canadian support is subject to parliamentary approval, to satisfactory organizational and administrative arrangements being agreed upon, and to there being broad support from other members. While it is important that the Delegation should appear responsive and sympathetic to the legitimate aspirations of the less privileged countries, it is equally important that their expectations or hopes should not be falsely raised. The Delegation should therefore stress the wisdom of following a cautious policy in this field in not contemplating further claims on the resources of the United Nations community before the Special Fund has been set up and given an opportunity to commence operations.
   
   Regional Economic Commissions; Economic Commission for Europe
   
   

10. One of the principal questions covered in the annual report for the Economic Commission for Europe is the European Common Market. Since it continues to be a matter of considerable interest to many countries, it is likely to be discussed at ECOSOC. The Canadian Delegation should reiterate in broad terms the general support of this country for the objectives of the Common Market as far as these efforts are directed to the expansion and diversification of trade, while expressing reservations in general terms about particular provisions of the EEC treaty which could impair the trading interests of third countries, weaken trading relations that have been built up between Western Europe and other regions in the post-war period, and impair the benefits to themselves which might be expected to result from this initiative. The Delegation should refer to the special consultation procedure which has been worked out by the GATT to deal with specific and practical problems arising from the Common Market Treaty and indicate Canadian hopes for reaching mutually satisfactory solutions. If endeavours are made to have ECOSOC undertake a detailed examination of the Treaty, the Delegation might point out that such an examination has already been initiated under the GATT.
    
    International Commodity Problems
    
    

11. It is anticipated that in view of the difficult market conditions for many primary products in recent months, there will be a good deal of discussion on this subject.

12. This is a subject of considerable concern to Canada, as a producer of a wide range of agricultural and primary commodities. Under-developed countries, many of which depend on export earnings of one or a few products, have urged the adoption within the United Nations of a variety of measures some quite extreme to meet their difficulties. Canadian delegations have taken the position that no generalized solutions to international commodity problems can be found. The Canadian position has been that these problems can be approached most effectively on a commodity-by-commodity basis, and that solutions to commodity problems require the support of the principal countries concerned. In accordance with this position Canada has been represented at a variety of international conferences and study groups both within and outside the United Nations concerned with particular commodities; Canada is a member of the three intergovernmental commodity agreements on wheat, sugar and tin.

13. At the forthcoming meeting of ECOSOC, the Delegation should maintain the basic Canadian position. It should express an appreciation of the economic problems faced by countries whose export earnings are declining because of adverse developments in commodity prices; and reaffirm the readiness of the Canadian Government to join with producing and consuming countries, under procedures which have been internationally agreed, to examine whether intergovernmental action is feasible or desirable to meet problems of particular commodities.
    
    Advisory Services in Human Rights
    
    

14. The programme of advisory services in the field of human rights was established by the General Assembly at its tenth session. Under the programme fellowships or experts in the broad field of human rights may be provided at the request of governments and seminars may be organized on a regional basis. The programme comprises a practical approach to current human rights problems and one through which countries, such as Canada, which for constitutional reasons will have difficulty in adhering to international covenants on human rights, may still participate actively in the United Nations activities and efforts to promote respect for human rights throughout the world.

15. The success of the programme in its initial two years has been such as to lead the Secretary-General to request an increase in the funds available for it. The Delegation might support a reasonable increase in its present budget of $55,000 in so far as it can be shown that the extra funds can be usefully expended.

²⁸ Approuvé par le Cabinet le 24 juin 1958, avec ajout de la clause suivante «that agriculture be specifically mentioned as one of the provisions of the E.E.C. treaty giving Canada serious concern.»
Approved by Cabinet on June 24, 1958 with the added provision that agriculture be specifically mentioned as one of the provisions of the E.E.C. treaty giving Canada serious concern.