January 22, 1942

OFFICIAL REPORT


OF .


THIRD SESSION-NINETEENTH PARLIAMENT 6 GEORGE VI, 1942 VOLUME I, 1942 COMPRISING THE PERIOD FROM THE TWENTY-SECOND DAY OF JANUARY, 1942, TO THE FOURTH DAY OF MARCH, 1942, INCLUSIVE BEING VOLUME CCXXIX FOR THE PERIOD 1875-1942 INDEX ISSUED IN A SEPARATE VOLUME OTTAWA EDMOND CLOUTIER PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY 1942 CANADA


Tfyouxt of Commons; Befmtes



Thursday, January 22, 1942


THIRD SESSION-NINETEENTH PARLIAMENT-OPENING


The parliament which had been prorogued on the twenty-first day of January, 1942, met this day at Ottawa for the dispatch of business. Mr. Speaker read' a communication from the Governor General's secretary, announcing that His Excellency the Governor General would proceed to the Senate chamber at three p.m. on this day, for the purpose of formally opening the session of the dominion parliament. A message was delivered by Major A. R. Thompson, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, as follows: Mr. Speaker, His Excellency the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable house in the chamber of the honourable the Senate. Accordingly the house went up to the Senate chamber. And the house having returned to the Commons chamber:


OATHS OE OFFICE


Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 1, respecting the administration of oaths of office. Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.


GOVERNOR GENERAL'S SPEECH

LIB

Georges Parent (Speaker of the Senate)

Liberal

Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honour to

inform the house that when the house did attend His Excellency the Governor General this day in the Senate chamber, His Excellency was pleased to make a speech to both houses of parliament. To prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy, which is as follows: Honourable Members of the Senate:

Members of the House of Commons:

There no longer can be any question as to the character and scope of the present war. It is a world-wide conflict between irreconcilable

forces. On every continent, including the confines of our own, and on all oceans, forces that aim at world domination oppose forces that seek the preservation of freedom. In every quarter of the globe, civilization is confronted by savagery.

The conflict can have but one of two outcomes. Either tyranny, based on terror and brutality, must be overthrown; or the free peoples of the world, one and all, slowly but eventually, will be reduced to a state of bondage. Upon the outcome depends, for generations, the future well-being of mankind.

There are strong reasons for belief in the overthrow of tyranny, and the ultimate triumph of freedom. The axis powers: Germany, Italy and Japam now fight as one. So do the peoples of the British commonwealth, of the United States, Russia, China and the many other nations that, on the first day of this new year, united in a pact to fight together until victory is achieved. The marshalling of the free forces of the greatest industrial nations in the world makes clear the scale upon which the conflict will now be waged on many fronts.

During the present session, opportunity will be afforded for the fullest consideration and discussion of Canada's war effort, actual and prospective. My advisers will submit to you the measures deemed essential to our national security, and for the prosecution of the war to the utmost of our strength-in accordance with the government's policy of a total national effort for total war, you will be asked to approve a balanced programme for further increases in the armed forces and in the production of munitions of war and of ^o^8?1^8, The increase in the armed forces will involve an expansion of the establishment of the Canadian army overseas. You will also be asked, as an integral part of Canada's direct war effort, to approve a contribution to Britain of vast quantities of munitions, foodstuffs and supplies.

The government's policy of national selective service will be extended, as generally and rapidly as may be necessary, to effect the orderly and efficient employment of the men and women of Canada for the varied purposes of war. You will be advised of the means the government proposes to adopt, to effect as complete as possible a mobilization of the material resources and man-power of the country in direct furtherance of a total national effort.

My advisers believe that the magnitude and balanced nature of Canada's war effort is being obscured and impaired by controversy concerning commitments with respect to the methods of raising men for military service which were made prior to the spread of the war to all parts of the world.

The government is of the opinion that, at this time of gravest crisis in the world's history, the administration, subject only to. its responsibility

Governor General's Speech

to parliament, should in this connection and irrespective of any previous commitments, possess complete freedom to act in accordance with its judgment of the needs of the situation as they may arise.

My ministers accordingly will seek, from the people, by means of a plebiscite, release from any obligation arising out of any past commitments restricting the methods of raising men for military service.

Members of the House of Commons:

You will be asked to make financial provision bn an unprecedented scale for the expansion and maintenance of Canada's armed forces and for war production.

You will be asked to make financial provision for implementing agreements with the provinces to facilitate the orderly and equitable mobilization of the financial resources of the country to the utmost limit of its capacity.

Honourable Members of the Senate:

Members of the House of Commons:

I am confident that in no particular will the Canadian people fail in the full discharge of any of their great responsibilities. At this time, when vision and wisdom are so greatly needed in the affairs of the world, I pray that Almighty God may guide and bless your deliberations.

Topic:   GOVERNOR GENERAL'S SPEECH
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LIB

William Lyon Mackenzie King (Prime Minister; Secretary of State for External Affairs; President of the Privy Council)

Liberal

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) moved:

That the speech of His Excellency the Governor General to both houses of parliament be taken into consideration on Friday next, and that this order have precedence over all other business, except the introduction of bills, government notices of motion and government orders, until disposed of.

Topic:   GOVERNOR GENERAL'S SPEECH
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Motion agreed to. STANDING COMMITTEES Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) moved: That a special committee be appointed to prepare and report with all convenient speed, lists of members to compose the standing committees of this house, under standing order 63, said committee to be composed of Messrs. Mackenzie (Vancouver Centre), Michaud, Casselman (Grenville-Dundas), Taylor, and Coldwell. Motion agreed to. INTERNAL ECONOMY COMMISSION Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) presented the following message from His Excellency the Governor General: The Governor General transmits to the House of Commons a certified copy of an approved minute of council appointing the Honourable T. A. Crerar, Minister of Mines and Resources, the Honourable J. L. Ilsley, Minister of Finance, the Honourable J. E. Michaud, Minister of Fisheries, and the Honourable J. A. MacKinnon, Minister of Trade and Commerce, to act with the Speaker of the House of Commons as commissioners for the purposes and under the provisions of chapter 145 of the revised statutes of Canada, 1927, intituled An Act Respecting the House of Commons.


THE WAR

DECLARATION BY UNITED NATIONS AT WASHINGTON, JANUARY 1, 1942, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS

LIB

William Lyon Mackenzie King (Prime Minister; Secretary of State for External Affairs; President of the Privy Council)

Liberal

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister):

I should like to table a copy of the declaration by United Nations, done at Washington, January 1, 1942, and the following related documents: Declaration of principles, known as the Atlantic Charter, by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States of America, August 14, 1941; resolutions approving the Atlantic Charter and providing for the reprovisioning of Europe after the war, adopted at the inter-allied meeting held in London, September 24, 1941, and with reference to these, the tripartite pact signed at Berlin, September 27, 1940, and referred to in the above declaration by the United Nations.

Topic:   THE WAR
Subtopic:   DECLARATION BY UNITED NATIONS AT WASHINGTON, JANUARY 1, 1942, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
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CCF

Major James William Coldwell

Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (C.C.F.)

Mr. COLDWELL:

Will the document tabled by the right hon. the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) be printed as part of the Votes and Proceedings so that we may all have it?

Topic:   THE WAR
Subtopic:   DECLARATION BY UNITED NATIONS AT WASHINGTON, JANUARY 1, 1942, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
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LIB

William Lyon Mackenzie King (Prime Minister; Secretary of State for External Affairs; President of the Privy Council)

Liberal

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

They are

printed in both English and French in pamphlet form and will be distributed in that form to all hon. members.

Topic:   THE WAR
Subtopic:   DECLARATION BY UNITED NATIONS AT WASHINGTON, JANUARY 1, 1942, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
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LEGATIONS

LIB

William Lyon Mackenzie King (Prime Minister; Secretary of State for External Affairs; President of the Privy Council)

Liberal

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister):

At the last sitting of the

last session my hon. friend the leader of the opposition (Mr. Hanson) spoke to me about my having omitted to answer a question which was upon the order paper with reference to the French legation at Ottawa, and also one with reference to Canadian representation, in Eire. Unfortunately I did not have with me at the moment the answers which had been prepared in the department, but I have them with me now and I should like to have them recorded on Hansard in to-day's proceedings.

Topic:   LEGATIONS
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January 22, 1942