Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a further brief report to the house with regard to our relationship to the present situation in Korea.

As the Secretary of State for External Affairs (Mr. Pearson) said yesterday, our responsibility in this matter arises entirely from our membership in the United Nations and from our support of the resolution of the security council passed on Tuesday last, part of which reads as follows:

The security council . . . Recommends that the members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area.

Any participation by Canada in carrying out the foregoing resolution-and I wish to emphasize this strongly-would not be participation in war against any state. It would be our part in collective police action under the control and authority of the United Nations for the purpose of restoring peace to an area where an aggression has occurred as determined under the charter of the United Nations by the security council, which decision has been accepted by us. It is only in such circumstances that this country would be involved in action of this kind. The house, I think, has already approved this position.

I would add, however, that if we are informed that a Canadian contribution to aid United Nations operations, under a United Nations commander, would be important to achieve the ends of peace, which is of course our only purpose, then the government wishes parliament to know that it would immediately consider making such a contribution. It might, for instance, take the form of destroyers to operate with other naval units of the United Nations, though our destroyers could not in any event reach Korean waters in less than about three weeks' time, because after all it is more than six thousand miles from Esquimalt.

Hon. members will recall that our naval units there were to proceed to European waters for summer exercises. These arrangements will be suspended, and the move will now be made into western Pacific waters, where the ships would be closer to the area where they might be of assistance to the United Nations and Korea if such assistance were required. If the situation in Korea or elsewhere, after prorogation, should deteriorate and action by Canada beyond that which I have indicated should be considered, parliament will immediately be summoned1 to give the new situation consideration.

Meanwhile the government, within the mandate which the attitude of the house in the last two days has given it, will do its full duty, within the measure of its power and ability, as a member of the United Nations, in common with other members, to make the collective action of the United Nations effective, and to restore peace in Korea. If this can be done-and it can-then the chances of preserving and strengthening peace over far wider areas of the world than Korea will be immensely increased.

Mr. George A. Drew (Leader of the Opposition):

The house will welcome the assurance by the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent) that in the event of deterioration of the situation which would call for action, parliament will immediately be summoned. It is particularly appropriate that on the day we prorogue there should be a further opportunity to discuss this subject in the light of the statement which the Prime Minister has made.

As the Prime Minister has pointed out, we are now seeing the first real effort to make the collective principle of the United Nations charter effective in the form of sanctions, in an instance in which there has been clear-cut aggression such as has occurred within the past week in Korea. Far from feeling depressed about the gravity of the events, it seems to me that all of us should be greatly encouraged by the hope this offers that the steady wave of aggression which has spread over many parts of the world in these past few years may at last be stemmed by the vigorous and effective joint action of free men throughout the world.

I think the sentiment of this house has been clearly demonstrated within the past

^460 HOUSE OF

External Affairs-Korea few days. What is important is that there seems little doubt that the sentiment expressed in this house is the sentiment of the people of Canada whom we represent. That sentiment seems to be unreservedly behind such collective action at this time as will offer the one hope of peace that is before us. This being so, I do not think we should leave this house today with any lack of appreciation of the full seriousness of the events of those past two days.

The United States, as the only nation with effective military forces within the area where aggression has occurred, has taken action which has already produced significant results. That action, however, has been action on behalf of the United Nations, which is represented in that area through a commission which was charged with the responsibility for administering the area. Anything that is done there will be action on behalf of the United Nations, as pointed out by the Prime Minister in the remarks he has just made. What is of vital importance and vital concern to every one of us is that more than the use of military force has been committed within these past few days. The whole prestige of the United Nations has been committed. Our prestige and the prestige of every member nation are committed by these events. On the outcome of this issue in Korea depends the future effectiveness of the United Nations. For that reason it is not only the fate of South Korea that hangs in the balance; it is the fate of the United Nations, the fate of that organization upon which the hope of peace in the years ahead now rests.

Had it been necessary, any of us could have made these remarks in discussing the supply bill this morning. For that reason I should like to point out that we shall presently be dealing with a supply bill which includes very large sums for national defence. Under the terms of that bill additional expenditures can be made and additional commitments undertaken if that becomes necessary. Before we leave here today I think it should be said in this chamber that in the light of world events every hon. member, I feel sure, will support such action as is necessary to bring our defence forces to the highest state of effectiveness.

This morning I saw in a press report from Korea a short statement which, it seems to me, casts a warning light upon the consideration of defence measures in times like these. There was in that statement a tragic explanation of the rapid advance of the North Korean forces. It explained that the morale of the southern troops was excellent, but that having regard to the mountainous nature of the country, interspersed with paddy fields, it had

been not thought practicable or necessary to supply the southern forces with tanks and other heavy equipment. This report emphasized that the psychological effect of heavy tanks in the possession of the northern forces had a great deal to do with the sudden weakening of the southern line. It then went on to say that one division of Southern Koreans had dealt effectively with that situation. They had suddenly organized suicide squads. Volunteers had gone into action against the tanks with dynamite strapped to their bodies. By these supreme acts of heroism, the tanks had been stopped by units of that division. With all the lessons of the past few years, and with all the courage of our people, neither here in Canada nor elsewhere do we want to see the necessity arise for suicide squads to replace armoured equipment which could be produced by the greatest industrial nations of the world. For that reason I urge that every step now be taken to equip with the most modern aircraft, the most modern armour and the most modern weapons those gallant young men and women who wear the uniform of Canada, There are ways in which this can be done.

While we are waiting for production to give us the arms, the equipment and the armour that we need, it should be possible for us to make arrangements with the United States or Great Britain for certain types of equipment which we then could replace at a later date. But, Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that, in the light of events as they are before us today, the one thought that must be in the minds of all of us is that every step that can be taken by this government to bring our armed forces up to a state of effective organization, in being, for whatever situation we might be called upon to face, is the number one priority of the government in the days and weeks ahead.

When we shall not be meeting in this House of Commons the people of Canada should be kept fully informed from day to day by the government as to events which may affect the lives of every one of us. I hope that the people of Canada, because they are the ones who will be directly concerned, will be fully informed by the government, and particularly by the Department of National Defence, as to steps which have been taken to bring to the greatest measure of effectiveness the highly disciplined and highly skilled units which we possess.

Once again I emphasize what I said before; that the preparations we are making today, the collective action which is taking place in Korea, is for the purpose of preserving peace; and everything we do to increase the effectiveness of our defence forces in Canada

and elsewhere is the one real guarantee of peace that exists for us in the troubled world of today.

In taking whatever steps may be necessary to preserve the peace, I am sure that the government of Canada will have the wholehearted support of all the people of this country.

Mr. Stanley Knowles (Winnipeg North Centre):

Mr. Speaker, we regard it as fitting that the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent) should have taken the house into his confidence as he did this morning. We are gratified by the two assurances he has given us, and the two points he has emphasized. On the one hand he has assured us that Canada will live up to her obligations under the United Nations charter, and that any action taken by Canada will be taken under the auspices of the United Nations. With that emphasis we are in complete accord. On the other hand the Prime Minister has given us the assurance that if there is any deterioration in the situation, parliament will be summoned. We are grateful for that assurance. It is as it should be; nevertheless it is good to have it on the record.. We feel that the way of collective security on the international front and strict adherence to the principles of democracy in our own affairs is the one way that offers hope and peace in this troubled world.

Mr. Solon E. Low (Peace River):

Mr. Speaker, I just wish to say a word to commend the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent) upon having made the statement he did this morning, and upon having given us the assurance that, in the event of its being necessary, this parliament will be called to consider further measures that may have to be taken to fulfil our commitments.

I stated the other day, and I am emphasizing it now, that the cost of being unprepared to meet the dangers that are extant may be far greater than the cost of being fully prepared. For that reason I join with the leader of the opposition (Mr. Drew) in saying: Let us be as fully prepared as we possibly can be for the days to come.

Mr. Jean Francois Pouliol (Temiscouala):

Mr. Speaker, if I did not rely upon the wisdom and the foresight of my leader, the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent) I would make now a longer speech than that of the leader of the opposition (Mr. Drew).

Hon. F. G. Bradley (Secretary of State):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to lay on the table of the house parliamentary return, reference No. 145, moved by the hon. member for Wentworth (Mr. Lennard). May I add that I am expect-

Supply Bill

ing another return this morning, which has not yet arrived. I would ask leave to hand it in when it comes.

Mr. G. F. Higgins (St. John's East):

I should like to ask the Minister of Trade and Commerce a question, of which he has been given notice. On Monday, June 26, the minister stated that, as a result of the talks he had while in England and subsequent talks that are now current in England, before the end of this week he hoped to be able to announce the sale of 300,000 tons of iron ore to the United Kingdom for delivery this year, coupled with 700,000 tons of iron ore for delivery in 1951. He also stated that, with respect to new markets for salt codfish, he expected to make an announcement also before the end of this week. Would the minister inform the house if he is now ready to make this announcement, and if not, when does he expect it will be made?

Righi Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

I am not in a position at the present time to extend the remarks I made last Monday. If the hon. member will keep a watchful eye on the daily press, I think he will be informed shortly.

Mr. Fulton:

As soon as prorogation takes place.

Hon. Stuart S. Garson (Acting Minister of Finance) moved

the second reading of Bill No. 319, for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the public service of the financial year ending the 31st March, 1951.

Mr. Knowles:

Does this bill differ in any

particular from the appropriation bills usually brought before the house?