November 19, 1945 (20th Parliament, 1st Session)

Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):

I wish to express to the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) and to the members of the government my pleasure at having been given the honour of seconding this resolution. I understood when it was proposed that there would be no formal discussion of it to-day. Reference having been made to it, however, may I say that we all felt proud that our distinguished guest of this afternoon should have found it possible to come to Canada on his way home from Washington where he visited the President of the United States.
On behalf of the party I lead I wish to add my word of welcome to that already extended by the Prime Minister of Canada, by this parliament, by the Canadian people, and just a moment ago by the leader of the C.CfF. party, to the Prime Minister of Great Britain. In doing so I wish to say that when the Prime Minister of Britain visits Canada we look upon him not as the leader of a section of that nation, but as the first citizen of his country. We were all thrilled with the message he gave us to-day. I should like to think that I speak for all the members of this parliament when I ask our distinguished guest to take back to his own people our admiration of the way in which they have stood up to the problems of the last six years, and I know we shall equally admire them for the way in which they will face the difficult problems' of the peace.
If I may be permitted to do so, I would ask the Prime Minister of Britain to take a message to our own boys who are still over there; to say to them that we are doing our best to get them back as soon as possible, and to be ready when they do come back to have places for them where they can fit again into our civil life.

I am very happy to associate myself with the Minister of Veterans Affairs and other members of the house in the resolution just moved.
Mr. SOLON E. LOW (Peace River): It gives me great pleasure to express, on behalf of the group I represent, our thanks to the Prime Minister for having arranged for the Right Hon. Mr. Attlee to visit this country and to speak to the houses of parliament. I wish, sir, through you to express' our thanks to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for the splendid speech he gave this afternoon. I feel that Canada has been privileged by this visit of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and this house has been signally honoured by the address which the right hon. gentleman delivered to us to-day. Through his speech and his visit, he has strengthened those invisible ties that bind Canada and the other parts of the British commonwealth into a unity that is unique on the face of this earth. It is the wonder of all mankind that that unity of purpose has been able to endure through the years in the face of the trials and difficulties which have beset us, and notwithstanding the dissimilarity among the parts and peoples that make up the great commonwealth to which Canada belongs.
After what we have heard from the right hon. gentleman, it must be emphasized again that unity does not mean uniformity. In the British commonwealth we have the most effective known demonstration of the type of organization which is requisite for enduring peace. This free association of countries and peoples can lead the way to peace if we continue to work together, and such visits as we have had from prime ministers of Britain will, I am sure, promote this cooperation.
We shall stand together in harmony if we face the future with vision and humility. Our commonwealth can face the world secure in the knowledge that our example will go far towards removing international fears, suspicions and differences. Particularly will this be so if together we work out fundamental changes in financial and trade policies which will make it possible for each member of the commonwealth to draw upon the resources of the others for the things it needs, and if at the same time we so order our affairs that the weak and needy nations may receive, from the various parts of the commonwealth, food, clothing and other materials necessary for the relief and immediate rehabilitation of their peoples.
I wish to assure you, sir, and through you the British Prime Minister and the British people, of our gratitude for what they did for

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us durihg the dark days of the battle of Britain. I ask that the right hon. gentleman be assured also of the understanding and1 sympathy of at least that portion of the Canadian people represented by this group, in the great responsibilities developing upon him and upon his colleagues at this time.
I trust that, in complete and unselfish support, Canada will stand with Britain in the years to come in the attempt to find solutions for the wide problems that now confront us. I trust that the Prime Minister and his colleagues will enjoy continued health and vigour, so that they may successfully meet the challenge to their powers. May I also express the hope that through divine guidance they may enter upon the secure road to enduring peace. Finally, let me express, on behalf of my group, the sincere hope that their journey homeward may be pleasing, and that it may not be long before we again welcome them to Canada.
Hon. LOUIS S. ST. LAURENT (Minister of Justice): Mr. Speaker, I wish to say a few words in French to endorse the remarks of the hon. members who have spoken before me, in order to tender our thanks to the Right Honourable Mr. Attlee. I especially desire to say how grateful we are that he should have emphasized the bilingual character of this house by using the language of our forefathers for a part of his speech.