You will recall that, owing to the fact that U.S. coloured troops introduced venereal disease in the Northwest Territories and Yukon during the war and as the Government has feared misunderstandings on the part of the Provinces, it has been reluctant to permit U.S. negro units to undertake maintenance work at Mingan and Chimo, P.Q., and Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island, during recent summers. It refused permission with regard to the two air stations in Quebec, although it did, in the end, permit a unit of U.S. negro engineers to carry out maintenance work at Frobisher during the summer of 1949.

Air Vice Marshal James, Air Member for Air Plans and R.C.A.F. member, P.J.B.D., tells me that [Major] General [Lyman P.] Whitten, the General commanding U.S.A.F. units in Newfoundland and Quebec, raised an aspect of this matter when he paid a visit to R.C.A.F. Headquarters yesterday. Apparently, as a result of the U.S. Government's non segregation policy, varying numbers of negro personnel are nowadays being included in all normal U.S.A.F. units with the result that, in recent weeks, General Whitten has already received some 45 negroes for postings in various units in Newfoundland. He has mentioned this fact to the Newfoundland authorities (including Mr. [Leslie Roy] Curtis, the Attorney General) and, while they are apparently not particularly happy about the situation, they have, understandably, not found it desirable to raise any objections. ⁵⁴

I gather that the Pentagon still realizes that prior approval would be required for postings in Canada of units of negro troops, but Air Vice Marshal James appeared to expect that, in the long run, a sizeable number of negro troops might be posted to the leased bases as members of normal U.S.A.F. units and appeared anxious to let the U.S.A.F. know whether this would be in order.

Possibly, you will feel that the question of mixed units being posted in Canada in future should go to Cabinet or that, in the case of the Province of Newfoundland, at least, a Federal Minister should discuss the matter with the provincial Premier. It is difficult to see how one can object to the use of mixed units for mutually agreed purposes in Canada without creating bad publicity for Canada in the United States⁵⁵

C. EBERTS

⁵⁴Le 18 mai 1950, le Cabinet a noté le rapport du ministre de la Défense nationale sur la proposition ties chefs d'état major interarmées américains au sujet de la mise sur pied du commandement du Nord Est ties États Unis.
On May 18, 1950, the Cabinet noted the report of the Minister of National Defence on the proposal of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff for the establishment of a U.S. Northeast Command.

⁵⁵Note marginale:/Marginal note:
The Minister. I do not see how we could reasonably object. If & when negro postings to U.S. units make (or threaten to make) them predominantly black we might raise the matter. Do you agree? A.D.P.H[eeney]. Aug 28.