June 23, 1942 (19th Parliament, 3rd Session)

Mr. POULIOT:

As it may be decided by the committee. But are we to entrust the committee with that job now? We are still in the dark, we do not know.
(b) of cancelling, altering, modifying or adding to the said recommendations, in so far as

Honours and Decorations
they relate to honours and decorations which do not involve titles, and, if so, in what respect and to what extent.
The whole thing will be studied from A to Z, I presume, and in my humble opinion that will be a waste of time. When I think of the intelligence of my colleagues, of their experience and their value as members of this house, to think that they will have to spend their time on this-and mark you, I do not say "waste", I say "spend" their time on this-when Tobruk has just fallen; when we heard solemn words of warning from the Minister of Finance just a moment ago, when everybody, if not fearful, is greatly concerned and worried about the future, I find that there is no time for this.
To summarize what I have to say it is this. In the first place there should be no snobbery in the army; there should be no caste in the army, no caste to keep privileges or promotions for themselves. The army should be made more accessible to the common man, and the common man should be given greater opportunity for promotion on the battlefield. The same thing applies to the sailor and the airman. If that is done, our men will be so satisfied with having at last what they were promised when they enlisted that they will not insist upon anything more than they are entitled to receive now in regard to decorations. Is there anything to prevent our men from receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Distinguished Flying Medal, the Distinguished Service Order, the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and so on? But there is one thing I regret, and I will tell you what it is. I regret very much what was done in the case of one man, who at the risk of his life took away a bomb that had fallen either very near or in St. Paul's cathedral in London. He did something which was deserving of the Victoria Cross, but instead of any such recognition he has been put in gaol for five years. First get that man out of gaol; then we might talk about decorations. That is my humble view about the matter.