On 11th December, 1946 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a Resolution on the subject of relief needs after the termination of UNRRA [United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration]. Part of this Resolution directed the Secretary-General to consider ways and means of collecting and utilizing voluntary contributions from persons and organizations throughout the world to help meet these needs. This Resolution of the General Assembly was considered by the Economic and Social Council and has resulted in the establishment by the Council of the "United Nations Appeal for Children," a world-wide campaign to secure funds to supplement government contributions to the International Children's Emergency Fund. A special office of the United Nations Secretariat has been set up to deal with the United Nations Appeal for Children and an International Advisory Committee has been established to assist in this work. A Special Committee of the Economic and Social Council has also been formed to ensure that the intentions of the Council with regard to the Appeal are carried out. Canada is represented on this Committee.

2. National Committees for the Children's Appeal have now been established in thirteen States and are about to be formed in twelve other countries. In Canada, a voluntary National Council for the Appeal has been established and a joint campaign is planned, for the month of February, with the Canadian Council for Reconstruction through UNESCO. The campaign is to be entitled "Canadian Appeal for Children." Sixty per cent of the proceeds of the campaign are to be allocated to the Canadian Council of the United Nations Appeal for Children and the remainder to the Canadian Council for Reconstruction through UNESCO.

3. A request has been received from the Chairman of the Executive Committee for U.N.A.C. in Canada, on which are represented the Canadian Congress of Labour, Trades and Labour Congress, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the Co-operative Union of Canada, as well as a number of other important organizations, for a government contribution of $200,000 to the United Nations Appeal. Since the funds collected during the campaign by the Committee for U.N.A.C. are to be placed at the disposal of I.C.E.F. for the purchase in Canada of essential supplies to meet the needs of children in war-devastated areas, the requested grant would appear to be an extension of the policy already approved in allocating $5,000,000 to the I.C.E.F. Such a grant would seem also to correspond with the purpose for which the fund for post-UNRRA relief was established. As a government endorsement of the campaign, a grant of $200,000 to the children's campaign would undoubtedly be of considerable assistance and would serve as an encouragement to the labour, agricultural and co-operative groups which have taken primary responsibility for the Appeal in Canada.

Recommendation:

It is therefore recommended that the sum of $200,000 be granted to the Canadian National Council of the United Nations Appeal for Children on the understanding that this sum will be made available to the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund for the purchase in Canada of necessary supplies for the relief of children in war-devastated areas.

It is further recommended that an Order-in-Council be passed granting this $200,000 from funds available for post-UNRRA relief in Vote 908 of Appropriation Act. No. 5, 1947.⁸⁹

LOUIS S. ST. LAURENT