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

Mr. Speaker, before proceeding further with the business of the house I should like to express a word with respect to the outstanding victory of the allied forces in Africa.

In the statement I issued on November 8 of last year, when the allied forces landed in Northwest Africa, I said: "The war of liberation to-day entered the stage of active offensive combat." On Friday last, almost six months to the day since the allied landings, Tunis and Bizerte, the last axis strongholds in the whole of Africa, were captured. The news since Friday indicates that the remnants of the axis forces still in Tunisia, which have sought refuge in the Cape Bon peninsula, will be pursued and hunted until all German and Italian resistance is ended. Offensive warfare from El Alamein to Tunis, and from Casablanca and Algiers to Bizerte, has now brought North Africa, 'from the Atlantic Coast to the Red sea, under the power of the united nations.

It should not be forgotten that these successes have come only after six months of sustained fighting in the western desert, and in the mountain of Tunisia; also that, behind this sustained fighting were months of planning and preparation which occupied the time from June to October of last year.

The advance by the Eighth Army of more than 1,200 miles in 80 days, from El Alamein to Tripoli, was a marvellous achievement. It was the counterpart of the other remarkable advance, from Casablanca to Bizerte, which led from the allied landings early in November. Both offensives were part of a planned single whole. The victory at Tunis and Bizerte is the crowning triumph of the battles that have been waged, see-saw fashion, back and forth across the desert for two and a half years. Victory has been the more impressive because of the extent to which it was shared by armed forces of so many of the united nations and all three services. War in North Africa from the outset has been war on land and sea and air combined.

The campaigns of the past six months have been the final stage in the struggle for the whole continent of Africa. This struggle really began when Italy entered the war nearly three years ago. It has been waged

Allied Victory in North Africa

actively since the first British invasion of Libya in December of 1940. The whole of Italian East Africa was captured and Ethiopia freed from the Italians in 1941. The destruction of the Italian empire, and the liberation of the French empire in Africa, both of which began in 1940, have now been completed. The whole continent of Africa, with the exception of the colonial possessions of Portugal and Spain is now united in the allied cause.

The liberation of the French empire in Africa brings closer the union under one authority and one battle flag of all Frenchmen fighting with the united nations.

When French North Africa, after brief resistance, passed to the allied side, in November, Admiral Darlan undertook the maintenance of French interests generally throughout North Africa. After Darlan was assassinated on Christmas eve, General Giraud took up this task as head of the.French forces.

A first meeting between General de Gaulle and General Giraud took place on January 22, during the Casablanca conference. Negotiations between representatives of these two leaders have since continued, both in North Africa and in London. Since the fall of Tunis, General Giraud has named an officer of the Fighting French to be Resident-General in Tunisia.

French forces in North Africa-at least eleven divisions strong, according to the latest announcement-have now been consolidated, and are being equipped with weapons supplied by the united nations. Not only will this new French army stand as guardian of a part of the united nations from which Hitler's forces have been driven out, but it will also stand ready to fight in the further offensives which even now are in prospect.

In relation to the war as a whole, it would be difficult to overestimate the victory of the united nations in Africa. It marks the end of the first stage of the offensive from the west against the European axis partners. It has assured the united nations control of the Suez canal, of Egypt, of the Atlantic ports of west Africa, and, now, of the whole southern shore of the Mediterranean. North Africa, in fact, becomes a base for much greater offensives, which will gain in striking force because of the concentration of sea and air power in conjunction with land forces now available in that area.

Speaking in Montreal on October 16, last, less than a month before the military occupation of French North Africa by the allied forces. I felt obliged to point out that after three

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years of war, nowhere had the balance been turned decisively against the enemy. Here was the position as I then described it:

In 1940, Britain held; in 1941, Russia held; at the present stage of war, Britain is still holding; Russia is still holding; China, despite the years of her resistance, is still holding. A precarious balance is being maintained on the Atlantic, in the middle east, and in the Pacific. Very critical battles are at the moment in progress. Others loom upon the horizon. There is, however, no sign that, as yet, the tide of war has definitely turned.

. The victory of the united nations in North Africa is a decisive victory. It may well come to mark the definite turn of the tide of war in the whole struggle against Italy and Germany. How strongly the tide had set in the opposite direction will be realized when we recall that to-dav is the third anniversary of the nazi invasion of the low countries and of the real assault upon France; and when we reflect upon the successive acts of successful aggression which followed that day.

In paying a tribute to-day to the victors of Tunis and Bizerte, we remember the feats of arms of all ranks, also the skilled and patient generalship which inspired confidence and dared to wait until every detail had been perfected before a victorious offensive was launched. We may, I think, recall with pride the share Canadian airmen have taken, over the past two years, in all the campaigns in the western desert. We remember, too, that ships and men of Canada's navy were among those that, in November last, helped to escort the great armada which carried the British and American armies to North Africa. In the months since, many of our ships have given a good account of themselves. Two have been lost in action in the Mediterranean. Nor do we forget the officers and non-commissioned officers of Canada's army who have been gaining battle experience with the British first army.

It is also a matter of pride for Canadian workers and Canadian industry to remember that they provided a large part of the transport and armoured vehicles which carried the British eighth army from Egypt and Tunisia.

I have felt that hon. members would wish to have on the records of this house a formal expression of the feelings of the people of Canada upon the signal victory of the united nations in Africa. Accordingly, I have prepared a resolution which, with the permission of the house, I should now like to move. I

Allied Victory in North Africa

have shown the resolution to my hon. friend the leader of the opposition who has kindly agreed to second it.

We, the members of the House of Commons of Canada, in parliament assembled, desire to express our great satisfaction at the decisive victory which has attended the arms of the united nations and destroyed axis power on the continent of Africa.

We desire also to record our admiration of the courage and skill of the sea, land and air forces of the united nations so admirably combined into a single fighting unit.

We wish also to convey to the Prime Minister of Great Britain, to the President of the United States, to General Eisenhower, the Commandey-in-Chief, and to the other allied commanders, and to all ranks serving under them our congratulations on the telling results achieved by the careful planning and effective coordination of allied efforts in Africa.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, in rising to second the motion of the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) I am sure all will agree with me when I say that it fills our hearts with joy as members of the House of Commons to realize that on such an auspicious occasion as this there can be unanimity on all sides. As the Prime Minister said, we have marked a definite turning point in the stage of our war effort as united nations. While he may not have put it in these words, nevertheless he said in effect that by virtue of the victory which has thus been achieved we have moved from the stage of actual preparation for war as united nations into the realm of actual offensive. The victory which has been achieved in North Africa will have a salutary and signal effect, not only in elevating the morale of the people throughout the united nations but also in reestablishing in the minds of many other peoples confidence in the strength of the armed forces of the united nations.

I think we ought to pay special attention to the part which has been played there by our own armed forces. The Prime Minister made reference to the navy and to the air force, and I want to reecho those sentiments on behalf of our party. One of the significant and inspiring circumstances of the North African victory is that there was a union between the Anglo-Saxon and French forces which augurs well for victories that are to come in the days that lie ahead. Without reflecting upon the sacrifices and the service and the splendid achievements of the other branches of the armed forces in Libya and in North Africa, I think most of us will want to pay just a little extra tribute to that

magnificent eighth army upon which for so long has rested so much of the onus and the burden of battle.

When we congratulate all ranks of the armed forces who took part in this notable victory, let us not forget that many homes have been bereaved because of the sacrifice and service which has been rendered. I should like to add to what the Prime Minister has said, not only words of congratulation to the armed forces who took such a valiant part in the struggle, but also words of sympathy and deep understanding for those who have been bereaved, for those whose homes have been hit so hard by the burden of the struggle in which loved ones have participated.

I should like also to offer a word of caution. Mr. Churchill said on a previous occasion with respect to the North African campaign that the people of the world must not regard it as the beginning of the end but rather as the end of the beginning. We have I think on too many occasions previously taken our victories as being the beginning of the end. I would caution this house and Canada generally that the days that lie ahead will be strenuous ones, in comparison with which the sacrifices of the past may seem small; there will be many darker days before the dawn and before world peace is actually ours. But on this occasion at least I think we may well pause to recall the sacrifices and the services that have been rendered in Africa. In comparison with them, how small do the services seem that we as civilians, whether in this parliament or outside, are rendering in our war effort; for in this campaign many have given their all in the cause of righteousness and freedom.

I take much pleasure, Mr. Speaker, in seconding the resolution proposed by the Prime Minister.

Mr. M. J. COLDWELL (Rosetown-Biggar):

Mr. Speaker, it is right and proper that this resolution should be introduced by the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) and seconded by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Gray-don). The Prime Minister has placed on the record an outline of the campaign which has ended so successfully in North Africa. We join with all others in the house in congratulations to the men who have fought this magnificent fight and also in an expression of our sympathy to those who have been bereaved by the supreme sacrifice that has been made by so many.

I agree with the leader of the opposition that in our rejoicing at the present stage of the campaign we should not lose our perspective. After all we have been at war now for over three and a half years and this is the first

Allied Victory in North Africa

time that our forces have driven back the enemy to any appreciable extent. We have watched with admiration the splendid fight that has been put up by our gallant allies. Equally we have watched with alarm the situation in the far east, and in our rejoicing we should not forget that while a victorious army is moving forward in North Africa, our troops are retreating in Burma. This I think illustrates the difficulties in which the united nations find themselves and makes it clear that the war will be long. The successful close of the present campaign in Africa is but the end of the beginning of one phase of this great conflict.

In the fight which has taken place our Canadian boys have borne some part. Ships bearing the names of two Canadian cities, the Charlottetown and the Weybum, were lost in the course of this campaign, and we express to the families of those who were casualties our deep sympathy.

I think there is another lesson to be learned from this campaign, a lesson of which I hope the leaders of the united nations will take heed. Mistakes were made at the beginning particularly in the field of political strategy. Many people viewed with misgivings the attempts that were made to appease quislings of the Vichy regime, and we hope that the outcry raised against that procedure will be borne in mind so that when the continent of Europe is invaded there will be no repetition of the mistakes which were then made.

With these thoughts in mind we join with others in rejoicing at the victorious issue of the campaign and express the hope that ere long we may see the enemy driven back from both sides of the European continent, when the opportunity will come to destroy the Japanese aggressor also.

Mr. J. H. BLACKMORE (Lethbridge):

Mr. Speaker, Canadian Social Creditors rejoice in the splendid and heartening victories that have destroyed axis fighting power in North Africa. Fervently and reverently we accept these blessings and congratulate the noble men and women whose efforts, under God, have gained them for us. There is honour enough to go round, and we desire that honour to be distributed all round, equitably and impartially. We are mindful not only of those who marched through triumphantly but of those who fell and of those who in far-off and obscure places struck, weakening the foe.

We Social Crediters solemnly assure our forces that, to the utmost limit, such influence and power as may be given us, we shall exert to the end that this appalling struggle shall

not have been in vain, but that in the home lands freedom shall be defended, extended and safeguarded; that the active causes of commercial rivalry which provoke and precipitate war shall be eliminated from our way of life, and that never again shall peace-loving people be left inadequately protected.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

Mr. Speaker, I am very glad indeed that the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) has brought forward this resolution and referred to the part that Canada has played in the North African campaign. But my purpose in rising is to tell the house and the country of an act of great valour on the part of a young Canadian from my own constituency who gave his life in that campaign. Earl Griffin, a student for the ministry, enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy as a submarine detector on His Majesty's Canadian ship Louisburg. During the course of the past six months she was engaged in action in the Mediterranean, and one day in February was struck by a dive bomber. In three minutes she sank. At that moment the young man was below decks. The commanding officer gave the order to abandon ship, but instead of obeying the order this young man stayed behind to put the depth charges in a place of safety so that they would not explode when the ship sank. In so doing he lost his life when he might have saved it. He lost his life in order that the lives of others might be saved. This is but one illustration of the heroism of young Canadians, and I hope it will have public recognition at the hands of those who are charged with such matters.

Hon. LOUIS S. ST. LAURENT (Minister of Justice (Translation): Mr. Speaker,

may I add a few words in French to extol the victory which the allied forces have just won in North Africa? I remember with emotion that during the night of November 7 we heard in Quebec the request made by the President of the United States that a few French voices should join his own in transmitting to the French people a message of confidence and encouragement, to tell them that we, the allies, had just landed on their colonial territory, that we were coming as friends, that we would not claim one inch of their empire, but that we were coming for the sole purpose of initiating the liberation which they and we desired with equal fervour. For us French-speaking citizens of North America, it was indeed an occasion which enhanced our pride and gave us the assurance that the struggle waged by the allied nations was our fight just as it

Northwest Defence Projects

was the fight of all other free men in the world. I also rejoice this afternoon that within . six months to that day, the allied forces have succeeded in implementing the promise we made to the people of France on that night of November 7 last.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Will the special commissioner's headquarters be in Ottawa, or somewhere in the district in which he will operate?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I assume it will be in Edmonton. Certainly it will be out in the western portion of the country.

Questions

Mr. GRAYDON:

May I ask the minister if there is anything especially new in this bill, or is it the usual bill?

Mr. MICHAUD:

It is the usual bill.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.