VOLUME 133 NUMBER 046 1st SESSION 35th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, April 11, 1994 Speaker: The Honourable Gilbert Parent HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, April 11, 1994 The House met at 11 a.m. Despite the horrific losses there were significant lessons learned from the raid. This painfully gained knowledge proved _______________ crucial to the success of the D–Day planning in 1944. Without the sacrifices of August 1942 many believe that the success of Prayers the Normandy landings would have been in serious jeopardy. _______________ (1105) This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the D–Day invasion. In 1992 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS Dieppe raid. At that time I had the privilege of participating in the pilgrimage to Dieppe, which took place alongside the [English] pilgrimage to Vimy when we were celebrating the 75th anniver- sary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL I also had the honour, thanks to the then Minister of Veterans Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg Transcona) moved: Affairs, of playing the lament at the Dieppe cemetery. The That, in the opinion of this House, the government should honour the contribution privilege was afforded to me by the minister as a result of my made by those who served Canada’s armed forces during World War II at the Dieppe own service in the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of raid by striking a distinctive medal for Canadian veterans of this battle. Canada stationed in Winnipeg at Minto Armouries. He said: Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin this morning by thanking all the hon. members who formally seconded my I say this by way of a little personal history. I first became motion. As you may be aware, Mr. Speaker, there is a procedure aware and conscious of the Dieppe raid when I was very young by which members can formally second a motion and up to 20 as a member of The Cameron Cadets in Winnipeg and later as a members may second any motion. I had more than I needed. I member of the militia unit, the Queen’s Own Cameron High- had 20 and others who wanted to get on the list. I would also like landers of Canada where I served in a pipe band for many years. to particularly thank my colleagues this morning, the member One of the people who instructed me at that time, Pipe Major for Kamloops and the member for Saskatoon—Clark’s Crossing Alec Graham, was a piper at Dieppe and one of the people who who are here to second my motion as it got on the floor. played the pipes on the landing craft as they came into the beach The motion today is to right a wrong which has been felt by at Pourville where The Camerons along with the South Sas- veterans of the Dieppe raid for a long, long time. It is the katchewan Regiment landed. absence of any distinctive recognition of their participation in I have had the opportunity of being at Pourville and of seeing that particular raid. the beach and the conditions under which The Camerons and the I begin by reminding the House that in the summer of 1942, South Saskatchewan landed. I also saw the main beach where the when the Axis powers were at their peak and threatening world Essex Scottish and the Fusiliers de Mont–Royal landed and the domination, 5,000 Canadian soldiers willingly participated in a beach at Puys where the Royal Regiment of Canada landed and raid on the occupied French coastal town of Dieppe, France. took the heaviest casualties of any regiment ever in one day in Operation Jubilee, as it was known, proved to be an allied plan Canadian history. that had catastrophic and at the same time critical results for future allied plans. Dieppe was a particularly tragic event, as many more Cana- dians are aware of today than they might have been just a while The catastrophe was 959 Canadian soldiers killed, 1,200 ago thanks to the television series on Dieppe. Regardless of wounded and 1,900 more taken as prisoners. No other battle in what one might think of the events and the interpretation of the history of the second world war had similar consequences all events, certainly there is no question that many young Cana- in a single day: August 19, 1942. dians were tragically killed, wounded or captured in that battle. 2823 COMMONS DEBATES April 11, 1994 Private Members’ Business It is only fitting at this time that the government should move At one point they did receive a campaign medal which would to do what many have been asking it to do for years, to strike a have satisfied their desire to be recognized. They were awarded distinctive medal for those who have participated in the Dieppe a 1939–43 star but that later was revoked for reasons that no one raid. seems to be able to come up with. It was extended and made the 1939–45 star which offers no particular recognition to those who I might say in anticipation of what the arguments might be participated in events like Dieppe before the Normandy inva- that Canada now has the power to award its own medals even sion. though at the time during the second world war and subsequent- ly we were part of the Commonwealth system of honours and All the Dieppe veterans are asking for is something which medals. Since 1968 we have had the ability to award our own recognizes they were part of that campaign and in this case a medals as we did only recently with respect to the gulf war. I particular event that was central to the pre–Normandy cam- hope I am not going to hear from people on the other side that paign. They do not have that. They have been asking for it and I this is something beyond the capability of a sovereign country simply ask how long do they have to wait? Time marches on, as like Canada to do if it so chooses. the old hymn that is used at Remembrance Day services, ‘‘Abide with Me’’ says: Time like an ever rolling stream bears all its I want to indicate at some point that I will try to seek sons away. Time is bearing all the veterans of Dieppe away as it unanimous consent for this motion to be voted on and agreed will bear all of us away some day. upon even though it has not been chosen as a votable motion. We know that the House can do this with private members’ motions if the members so choose. I have not had anybody say to me that Therefore, in this year of remembering when there are so this is a bad idea. I have had nothing but letters from various many brochures and pamphlets from Veterans Affairs and members of Parliament from all sides of the House saying that elsewhere, all of which are appropriate, why today can we not do the motion should pass. I have had people eager to second it. something concrete, not expensive and something which will bring Canadians together. I hope we will not see a government member get up with notes prepared by the Department of Veterans Affairs or whatever to One thing that struck me when I was at Dieppe and had struck give the contrary argument and say no at the end when we ask for me before at Canadian war cemeteries is that row on row, no unanimous consent to have the motion passed. distinction is made between veterans of the Fusiliers de Mont– Royal or the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Winnipeg. I remind members, particularly those on the government side Canadians of French, British and other origins lie side by side in who may have been asked to do this, this is not a binding motion. Canadian war cemeteries. It ought to be mandatory for every It is not a bill. It is a motion and if it passes it would simply give member of Parliament to visit these cemeteries and to get a the government ammunition, if you like, in trying to go ahead. It tragic sense but nevertheless some pride of the unity with which would help to create momentum. It would give a government Canadians have fought in World War II and before that in World that wanted to do this the ability to say: ‘‘We do this with the War I. expressed and unanimous backing of the House of Commons’’. I do not see any good reason, other than a sort of small minded- I know there are others eager to speak on this. I hope we can ness with respect to the fact that I am not a government member, do this. Certainly there is precedent for motions like this passing or whatever the case may be, for not allowing the motion to go which have had no expressed opposition. I have a letter from the ahead. minister saying the government is intent on some form of recognition for Dieppe veterans. I say that the form of recogni- (1110) tion the Dieppe veterans want and that the Dieppe veterans deserve is this medal. They do not want a picnic. They do not Another argument might be advanced. I hope the argument want some kind of special event. They want what they are asking will not be offered, but I have heard it in private conversation, for. that Canadian medals have tended to be awarded on the basis of campaigns rather than battles.