https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/7de03ea1c0e69528584a70a39f0d85e5.pdf b8da3a084e2e727c49a42e3c96c3c553 PDF Text Text A A y y PRIVY COUNCIL Document disclgsMHtnder the Access to Information Act Documejft/divulgue ejjj|*rtuude pe la Loi sjtfj-acces a I'in I'information B U R E A U D U C O N SE I I . P R I V E OFFICE y 3- / i - 2. ,NI-T UA j ;, r R Y SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY i /-</'/j^V^^W3=62 '""" " i \ ^_*March, 1962, MEMORANDUM FOR THE INTELLIGENCE POLICY COMMITTEEi INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DEFECTORS The attached memorandum was prepared by tbe Interdepartmental Gommittee on Defectors with the agreement of the Departments concerned. The doeuffient has ©sen noted by the Joint Intelligence Committee., In considering the paper-the Joint Intelligence Gommittee made:one or two suggestions for amendment.which were accepted by the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors and which have been Incorporated into the attached -document <> 2o The purpose of this paper is to regularize the practices and procedures o'f the Interdepartmental Committee which has, in fact, been functioning without written terms of reference for nearly ten yearso The recommended procedures are substantially the same as those which have been followed by the Committee since its inception0 3o; The Intelligence Policy Committee is asked to approve the terms of reference for the Interdepartmental Gommittee on Defectors as set out in paragraph 12 of this memorandum^ DpB'a Dewars Secretary0 Attx, Disto See next page 000315 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a /'information - 2 DISTRIBUTION Copy No. Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Secretary to the Cabinet Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence Chief of the Naval ^taff Chief of the General Staff Chief of the Air Staff Chairman, Defence Research Board President, National Research Council Deputy Minister of Finance Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Secretary to the Cabinet Defence Committee (Secretary) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Direetor of Communications Security 13-13 With an information copy to,: S/CRG (16) 000316 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information S E C R E T CANADIAN EYES ONLY F e b r u a r y 2 1 , 1962 Copy No 0 1 -*- MEMORANDUM ON THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DEFECTORS HISTORY From 1945 to 1952, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Department of External Affairs (by 1952, Defence Liaison (2) Division) consulted each other regularly on problems raised by cases of important political refugees from Soviet bloc countries. This included persons who defected in Canada as well as those who defected elsewhere and whom Allied Intelligence Services asked to have settled in Canada,, The latter number may have included some who had been used in offensive intelligence operations, and possibly some who had attempted to defect to our Missions abroad, but who had been directed to the British authorities in accordance with the instructions on this question issued to our Diplomatic Missions at that time. Approximately 30 defectors from Soviet and satellite diplomatic and consular missions in Canada were dealt with in this period, and about three a year from the United Kingdom (Appendix A ) . Once agreement was reached between the Department of External Affairs and the R.C.M.P. the latter then approached the Canadian Immigration authorities to see whether admission and settlement could be arranged. 2. By 1952, it was evident that these ad hoc arrangements, while working well, were not adequate to deal not only with an increased number of defectors but also with problems of financing and settlement of those who were coming to Canada from other sources. 3. Meetings of an interdepartmental committee to work on general defector policy problems as well as on individual cases began early in 1953* As the result of a meeting held on o • • •£- 000317 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information 2. SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY ~ ~ ~~ January 7, 1953a it was agreed that an annual grant (later set at #10,000) should, be provided to be administered by the R.C.M.P. under the direction of the Interdepartmental Committee and to be used to provide assistance to defectors (Appendix B)» Further formal meetings of the Committee took place, and on April 29, 1953 the establishment of the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors was reported to the j^i#c# by the Department of External Affairs. [(.. The Committee has continued to meet since 1953 at the request of any of the three members, under the chairmanship of the Deputy Head of Defence Liaison (2) Division, Department of External Affairs . 5. The other members have been representatives of the Security and Intelligence Directorate of the R.C.M.P. and of the Admissions Division of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Recently, it has become customary to invite a representative, of the Joint Intelligence Bureau to attend most meetings to provide information on the intelligence value of defectors and to co-ordinate debriefing of defectorse 6. The Committee has met only when a case arises which requires discussion. In practice, this has meant that Soviet or Soviet bloc citizens who have presented themselves to Canadian authorities for "political asylum'1 have been considered by the Committee. The criterion for the Committee's interest in any individual is his importance as a source of information of value to the intelligence community. Once a substantial intelligence interest is established, the Committee accepts responsibility for making representations on how the case should be handled. 1, In instances of little or no intelligence interest, It can often be agreed at once, usually without a meeting, that the case be handled by the Immigration Branch in the usual way, with no special or urgent treatment, and no possibility of special financial support. ...3 000318 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY 3o 8. In order to make the distinction, and- to emphasize the intelligence factor which must be present, a special definition of a "defector" has been adopted. Appendix C is a summary Indicating the manner in which various definitions have been developed and put into use. TERMS OF REFERENCE 9. No specific terms of reference were given to the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors, probably because of its history of growth as an ad hoc committee. When it was formally set up In 1953» the J.I.C. was given the following statement: "The procedure for the acceptance of defectors in Canada has been worked out over the past few years with the approval of the Prime Minister and the Ministers of the responsible departments. In general, defector cases are discussed first by the Department of External Affairs and the R.C.M.P., and if agreement on the desirability of the individual is reached, the case is then discussed with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. For this purpose a small Interdepartmental Committee composed of representatives of the three departments has been established." 10. Past experience has shown that it is important that the Committee deal with each instance of a possible or recent defection as soon as possible after It has come to its attention, so that it can establish whether the Individual concerned falls under the approved definition - that is, principally, whether he has any interest for Canadian authorities from an intelligence standpoint. Decisions need also to be reached on the bona fide of defectors and on whether and to what extent they should be given help after their arrival in Canada. 11. General policy recommendations concerning defectors should also come within the Committee's competence, subject, of course, to approval by the Departments concerned. The Committee also should continue to consider requests by Allied authorities " for settlement in Canada of both defectors and ex-agents (see Appendix A ) , and to make recommendations to the Departments concerned on any necessary changes in the present policy of 000319 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information SECRET UAWADTAN EYES ONLY handling these cases. In general, these are all matters with which the Committee already deals on an ad hoc basis. 12. It now appears desirable that the Committee have written terms of reference to ensure that its functions are understood and also to ensure continuity and consistency in the treatment of cases. It is therefore recommended that the Intelligence Policy Committee endorse the following terms of reference for the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors: (1) The Committee should be composed of representatives of the following: Department of External Affairs (Chairman) Immigration Branch Joint Intelligence Bureau R.C.M.P. (2) The definition of "defector", for the purposes of the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors, should be accepted as: "Any citizen of the USSR, the Chinese People's Republic, or satellites of those countries, who, without the knowledge and approval of his Government, seeks permanent admission to Canada (a) if he is considered by any Directorate represented"" on the Joint Intelligence Committee (for which purpose the Joint Intelligence Bureau will consult with any interested intelligence directorate in the Department of National Defence, coordinate D.N.D. •views and interests and arrange the debriefing of defectors on its behalf) to have considerable intelligence value, and his settlement in Canada is recommended by that Directorate in order that his knowledge may be properly exploited, OR (b) if a friendly Intelligence service has requested that Canada cooperate by admitting the person concerned." For the purposes of this definition, "satellite" will include the following: Albania, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, North Korea, North Vietnam, Outer Mongolia, Poland, and Roumania. Any additions or deletions to this list will be submitted to the Intelligence Policy Committee for •"their approval* ^ 000320 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information SECRET CATTAPTAN EYES ONLY 5. (3) The Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors should have the following functions: (a) To consider all Individual cases of defection in Canada and at Canadian Missions abroad* which are referred to the Committee by any member of the Joint Intelligence Committee, and in particular to recommend: (I) Whether such individual case is bona fide; (ii) Whether it falls within the definition of "defector"| (iii) What further action, if any, is necessary and by whomj and (iv) Whether financial or other assistance should be given to the defector. (b) To consider specific requests from Allied intelligence authorities for acceptance of defectors and ex-agents and to determine whether they are acceptable j (c) To recommend policy on the handling of all defectors, both those who defect in Canada and those who defect to Canadian Missions abroad°, and (d) To recommend policy on the acceptance of defectors and ex-agents sponsored by Allied authorities. A Special instructions have been sent to Canadian missions abroad on the handling of defectors and potential defectors. In addition, special instructions for the handling of Soviet and satellite defectors which have been issued by the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) have been extended to the l^th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group (ij.CIBG) in Germany. In effect, defectors in the hands of 1J.CIB& are turned over to the BAOR security authorities. The Canadian Embassy in Bonn Is to be kept informed of any such ease. 000321 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a /'information SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY APPENDIX A Acceptance of Defectors from British and United States Sources Under an arrangement made in 19479 two or three defectors were admitted each year from Britain, and this agreement with the Secret Intelligence Service was confirmed in 1951• The terms were as follows (letter from the Department of External Affairs to the Office of the British High Commissioner, July 10, 195D: "It Is, however, agreed that individual cases may be considered in which the defector concerned has expressed cogent reasons for wishing to come to Canada, is otherwise admissible under the law, and when there are sufficient grounds for believing that his presence here would not create a controversy within the country. It is further understood that the IRO, any successor to it, or the United Kingdom authorities would provide any defectors accepted by the Canadian authorities with the cost of passage and such other financial assistance as may be appropriate. "It is understood that each case would be forwarded by the United Kingdom authorities to the Canadian authorities and considered by the latter on its merits." This arrangement was approved by the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for External Affairs and the Minister of Citizenship and Immlgration0 2. At this time it was agreed that the number might reach six a year0 This number has never been exceeded and it has been considerably less since 1955<> The main reason why Canada agreed to accept a certain number of exploited defectors from elsewhere as immigrants was to enable us to contribute in this way to the general Western intelligence effort from which we obtain much more than we put in. Canada has been able to cooperate in this fashion in the past, since most defectors can be accepted into the normal immigration stream at some stage. 3. The same considerations apply to the acceptance of ex-agents, a small number of which have come to us from Allied sources. In these cases, we require details of the use made of the individual in offensive intelligence work and a guarantee of their political reliability. p 6 " 000322 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY ho In practice we have been asked to take fewer than a dozen individuals since the agreement came into effect, and most can be handled as normal immigration applications with obvious advantages for us in so doing. The number of these applications has also dropped off during the past two years. As is the case with the British, the CIA undertakes to maintain defectors financially in Canada until they become self-supporting. s.15(1) 000323 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY APPENDIX B Financial Support for Defectors The annual amount of $10,000 for use in settling defectors in Canada has, since 1953? been administered by the R.C.M.P. under the direction of the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectorso Before the fund was first set up, certain principles were agreed to at the Interdepartmental Committee meeting of January 7$ 1953° These principles, which have continued to be the basis for administration of the fund, are as follows: 1. No genuine defector, particularly one who has defected in Canada, should suffer because of lack of funds; 2. Anyone who has defected should be in reasonable circumstances in order to encourage other potential defectors; 3. The defector should be maintained at a standard of living in keeping with the morale desired; ij.. He should be maintained only until such time as he can become self-supporting, providing he is willing to accept reasonable offers of employment made to him. 5. If a defector is sponsored by another country, his expenses until he is suitably placed should be paid by that country; 6. The R.C.M.P. should administer the fund. 2. Allied authorities provide funds to the R.C.M.P. to help settle or maintain those defectors and ex-agents whom they have asked Canada to accept. Support is continued until the persons concerned are wholly self-supporting, and if any individual should need further help, those authorities accept responsibility. 000324 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY APPENDIX C '• 1 ' •>' '"• ' Definition of "Defector" A definition of this term is necessary to distinguish between defectors who may be or have been of intelligence value and those who are not. On April 21, 1955 the following definitions, adapted from those used in Britain, were accepted by the Secretary of State for External Affairs: Soviet Defector: Any Soviet citizen who seeks asylum from any Canadian authority and whose resettlement is recommended by any Department represented on the Joint Intelligence Committee. Satellite Defector: A citizen of a satellite country who Is considered by the JIC to be of considerable intelligence value and whom It is desirable to resettle in Canada so that his knowledge can be exploited. For purposes of accepting defectors from the U.S.A. (sponsored by the CIA) the definition was simplified to: Any Soviet or satellite citizen who seeks asylum in Canada and whose resettlement Is recommended by the appropriate Canadian authorities. This definition, while leaving us to assess each case on its merits, can also cover the settlement of ex-agents of the CIA whom we are occasionally asked to accept in the interests of their personal safety. The definition of the term is necessary in order to set limits to the interests of the Interdepartmental Committee, but it must be broad enough to take in not only those who defect both in Canada and at Canadian Missions abroad, but also those individuals whom Britain or the United States sponsor and who would particularly like to settle in Canada. On the other hand, it must limit responsibility in the former eases to those who both have a definite intelligence value and who require special assistance, either financial or administrative, to enable them to come to Canada. It should thus normally exclude all persons outside Canada who can be dealt with satisfactorily by the usual Immigration procedures. The two definitions may be consolidated without disadvantage. �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a /'information SECRET ITAMDXAN EYES ONLY 2. The following definition submitted in 1958 to the Interdepart^ mental Committee on Defectors and approved by it for the information of Canadian posts abroad was the most useful and comprehensive of any so far used: Any Soviet or Satellite citizen who, without the knowledge and approval of his Government, seeks permanent admission to Canada frora any Canadian authority if he is considered by any Directorate representecPon the Joint Intelligence Committee to have considerable intelligence value and his settlement in Canada is recommended by that Directorate In order that his knowledge may be properly exploited, OR as a means of cooperation with a friendly intelligence service. It is now proposed that this definition be amended to reads Any citizen of the USSR, the Chinese PeopleBs Republic, or satellites of those countries, who, without the knowledge and approval of his Government, seeks permanent admission to Canada (a) if he is considered by any Directorate represented on the Joint Intelligence Committee (for which purpose the Joint Intelligence Bureau will consult with any interested intelligence directorate in the Department of National Defence, coordinate D.N.D. views and interests and arrange the debriefing of defectors on Its behalf) to have considerable • Intelligence value, and his settlement in Canada is recommended by that Directorate in order that his knowledge may be properly exploited, OR (b) if a friendly Intelligence service has requested that Canada cooperate by admitting the person concerned. For the purposes of this definition, "satellite" will include the following: Albania, Bulgaria, Cuba^ Czechoslovakia^ East Germany, Hungary, North Korea, North Vietnam, Outer Mongolia, Poland, and Roumania. Any additions or deletions to this list will be submitted to the Intelligence Policy Committee for their approvalo � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDDF00040 Title A name given to the resource Memorandum on the Interdepartmental Committee on Defectors, February 21, 1962, under cover of Memorandum for the Intelligence Policy Committee (IPC 3/62) from D. B. Dewar, IPC Secretary, March 1, 1962, and with three annexes. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-Feb-62 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Library and Archives Canada, Record Group 25, BAN 2017-003434-0, box 25, file: 1-2-12-2, pt 3. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Government of Canada Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Cold War Defectors Description An account of the resource Canadian Foreign Intelligence History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en