July 1, 1947 (20th Parliament, 3rd Session)

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Peel):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to follow the appropriate example of brevity which was set by the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) in observing this important occasion in the life of our country. I wish to associate our party with the eloquent words of the Prime Minister, which I think reflect the views and aspirations not only of the people's representatives in this parliament but of the people of Canada in general. I suppose on the occasion of an

Dominion Day
anniversary such as this a nation, just like am individual, would feel like reviewing the past, taking inventory of the present and attempting to chart the course for the future in the light of past and present. As the Prime Minister has said, Canada has reached out in her international and domestic affairs to the point where she can rightly be called one of the great nations of the world. I think that we who feel that this country played her full part in the winning of victory, will wish also to say to the world that this country is prepared also to make her maximum contribution toward the cause of winning and keeping permanent the peace which followed that war.
As the Prime Minister so well stated, this country has laid firm and true foundations as far as our humanitarian policy in international affairs is concerned. We cannot have a permanent and lasting peace if we are prepared to pay only a cheap price for that peace. Whatever the price of a lasting peace may be, it will fall far short of and be of much less consequence than the terribly tragic cost of war. So whatever the cost of honourable and self-respecting peace may be, this country must be prepared to pay it. May I go farther and say that bound up with the cost of that peace must also go the realization that in assessing its true position this country will find it cannot, as an island of relative good times and prosperity, survive in a surging international sea of distress, poverty and suffering. Canada must bring itself to realize this, because after all, in that realization is involved also the cost of the peace that we are now trying to make just and permanent.
I fervently hope and pray that this eightieth milestone in Canadian history since confederation may see all the Canadian people moving forward, resolute and determined, marching shoulder to shoulder, regardless of any differences that may exist within the country, toward a greater Canada and a stronger and more powerful commonwealth of nations, in a world of permanent peace and prosperity in the days that lie ahead.