At the request of the Deputy Minister of Mines and Resources, who wished this Department to provide the delegate to the next session of PCIRO, we have asked Mr. Wilgress in Berne whether he would be able to undertake this duty. Mr. Wilgress has now replied that he would be glad to represent Canada at the forthcoming session. The Department of Mines and Resources is providing an adviser for Mr. Wilgress from its Immigration staff in Germany.

It is therefore recommended to your consideration that the Canadian delegation to the forthcoming session consist of Mr. D. Wilgress with Mr. J.D. McFarlane⁹² as adviser.

This is perhaps an opportune occasion to consider whether Canadian delegations to routine and recurring conferences of this nature need to be referred invariably to Cabinet for approval. I am attaching a copy of a memorandum which I sent to the Secretary to the Cabinet last April in which he concurred. It was our understanding that Canadian delegations to importan/ international conferences should be approved by Cabinet. Since between now and the end of this year Canada is to be represented at some forty or forty-five international conferences, it is suggested that for the relatively unimportant meetings the recommendation of the Minister of the Department concerned together with the concurrence of The Secretary of State for External Affairs would provide adequate authority. I shall, of course, refer all recommendations concerning Canadian participation in international conferences to you for approval and if it is your wish I shall also indicate whether it seems appropriate to refer the particular delegation for Cabinet approval.

I recommend therefore that for the forthcoming session of PCIRO beginning in Geneva on May 4th you concur in the recommendation of the Department of Mines and Resources and that this matter be not referred but be simply reported to Cabinet⁹³

L.B. P[EARSON]

⁹²Surintendant de district (district de l'Est), direction de l'Immigration du ministère des Mines et des Ressources.
District Superintendent (Eastern District), Immigration Branch, Department of Mines and Resources.

⁹³Note marginale :/Marginal note:
Agreed. St. L[aurent]