[Ottawa,] July 30, 1941
CANADIAN COMMENT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN CANADIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONSHIPS
On June 22nd, the German attack on the USSR began. Following shortly after Mr. Winston Churchill’s speech of the same date, Mr. Mackenzie King issued a statement to the press, the essence of which may be summarized in his phrase “Everyone who engages the enemy advances our cause”.
In recent examining Canadian newspaper comment and our own correspondence, the following are some of the main trends in Canadian public comment dealing with the new phase of Canadian-Russian relations.
1) Meetings in Support of Aid to Russia: A series of meetings were held in late June and early July in Toronto, Montreal, and other large urban centers. The chief participants on these occasions were A. Macleod, Editor of the Canadian Tribune, John Kerry, Montreal lawyer and former President of the Civil Liberties Union, Jean Charles Harvey, Editor of Le Jour, with Sir George Paish, itinerant British lecturer as the principal speaker. The Montreal Gazette described the audience at these public rallies which attracted about 5,000 people on each occasion as including “many races in Europe, including Russians, and also many with a known leaning towards Communistic principles, but there were also representatives of the general rank and file of citizens”.
The Resolutions passed on these occasions took the following line:
a) Establishment of full diplomatic relations between Canada and the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
b) Resumption of trade relations.
c) Dispatch of a trade delegation to Moscow without delay with full powers to consummate a trade agreement.
d) Release of all “anti-fascists” and “labor leaders”.
Similar resolutions were passed by the Vancouver Labor Council.
These are the only active resolutions which have come to my notice, apart
from a few telegrams from foreign-born Canadians which pressed for increased aid to the USSR.
2) Newspaper Comment. While the Financial Post, Toronto Telegram, and Globe and Mail have pointed out from time to time the dangers of Communism, and have warned their readers to be on guard in view of the recent volte-face of the Communist Party, certain other newspapers, notably the Ottawa Citizen (editorial of July 15th), have chided the Canadian Government for failing to adopt a stronger line of support for Russia at the present time. Pointing out that while the United Kingdom has made an agreement with Russia, and has dispatched a Military Mission to her aid, Canada has taken no steps of active or direct assistance in a Russian victory in the following terms:
(a) A German victory would allow enemy troops, especially air squadrons to be moved across Siberia to operate against Canada from Pacific ports.
(b) In enemy hands, the Russian fleet at Vladivostok would represent a
serious striking force against our vulnerable Canadian coast-line.
(c) Canada from the point of view of agricultural supplies, and industrial and war equipment could supply products which Russia vitally needs. Vancouver and Prince Rupert are the nearest North American railroad terminals for the ocean crossing to Vladivostok.
(d) The United Kingdom has made an agreement with the USSR to fight on together until Germany is defeated. Canada has much at stake, and should have been among the first to initiate measures of effective aid.
(e) The United States is already making arrangements to send supplies
to Russia. (See Mr. Harry Hopkins’ recent speech in London.)
3) Direct Representations. So far as direct representations to the Canadian authorities are concerned, the following items are relevant:
a) Letter of June 26th from Mr. Hume Wrong: The Canadian Legation at Washington has had some discussions with Soviet officials re shipping, ship repairs, trade, etc. In his letter, Mr. Wrong wrote as follows:
In view of the absence of any Soviet representative in Canada, it seems likely that the Soviet Government will use this Legation as the most convenient and expeditious channel of communication with the Canadian authorities. The
dramatic change in the position of the Soviet Government appears to make essential a reconsideration of the policy of refusing export permits to all foods going to the USSR I should think that Soviet requests for assistance would for the present be limited to comparatively minor matters, such as ship repairing facilities, and supplies in moderate volume.
b) Letter of July 17th2 from Mr. Hume Wrong: In which he reports
that a Canadian journalist, in talking with Mr. Oumansky, had been informed that the latter expressed the personal view that steps should be taken to establish some form of direct Soviet representation in Canada. This might possibly take the form of consular or trade representation
rather than diplomatic representation, but would, Mr. Oumansky was reported to have said, be an improvement over present indirect methods of communication.
c) Suggestions of Colonel [HJ] Mackie: In his letter of June 20th1
to the Prime Minister, the latter asked:
i) Would it be possible for Canada to deliver needed commodities to Russia under the Hyde Park Agreement?
He also suggested:
ii) That a Canadian Government representative will be posted in Moscow to aid negotiations and facilitate dispatch.
iii) That he, Colonel Mackie, would be prepared to offer his services in this connection.
4) To put the above developments in proper perspective, it is essential to bear in mind the huge weight of public inertia on this question. In general there bas been comparatively little comment in the press or public platform on these developments. Secondly, it is necessary to recall the hostility to Soviet Russia on the part of large sections of the Canadian public which has been a constant factor in previous relationships, and which cannot be expected to disappear overnight. Thirdly, it would be wise to remember that the German–Russian Pact of 1939 was one of the vital links in the chain that led to Germany’s subsequent attack on Poland and Western Europe, and that for almost two years Russia vacillated between isolationism and assistance to Germany.
We must bear in mind the probability that the present Holy War would again become an Imperialist War the moment Russia was knocked out.
Nevertheless, in spite of the grounds for mistrust and suspicion, there is little doubt that it is a vital Canadian and Allied interest to keep Russia in the war against Germany. If this can be done, Germany’s Eastern Front will become a constant drain on her men and resources, and the Russian front would in time become a stepping-off place for the [offensive] against Germany. If, on the other hand, Russia cannot be kept in the war, the outlook for the Allies is dark indeed: Germany would have solved the problem of the blockade, could move vital war industries still further away from the Royal Air Force, and could hold Europe for years to come.
Therefore, it is suggested that the Canadian authorities should give careful thought to possible methods of assisting Russia at the present time. The question of what form this assistance might take ie whether economic, military, or political, is worthy of thorough exploration.
