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GLOBAL SUPPORT - CANADA

Work on behalf of the International Association made more demands on the Canadian Chairman then in previous years. Duties as Assistant Director General, connected with the decision of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations to request member and non-member nations to study and send in their views, on the desirability of calendar reform, occasioned a number of visits to headquarters in New York.

There were the usual addresses to various organizations, notably The Inner Wheel at Montreal on 18 January 1955; the preparation of articles for publication., assisting with the editorial work for the Journal of Calendar Reform, interviews with government officers, particularly in connection with the reply of Canada to the Secretary-General. This reply was favorable to a study of the subject under the auspices of ECOSOC.

The Chairman thought it proper to get in touch with the representatives in Canada of nations from which no reply had been received by the Secretary-General on the calendar reform item, informing them of Canada's reply, with reference to support for the movement in Canada, and expressing the hope that the information would be forwarded to their governments.

The Chairman had the pleasure of meeting in New York Sir Harold Spencer Jones, Britain's Astronomer Royal. There were also conferences in New York with Mr. James Avery Joyce of the British Section, and with Mr. J. Royden Gilley in Toronto.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce (the national voluntary federation of more than 700 Boards of Trade and Chambers of commerce in all of Canada's ten provinces)on 3-6 October 1955 reendorsed The World Calendar, and as a Policy Declaration, the first under the heading External Affairs, "requests the Canadian Government to support at the United Nations The World Calendar." This is more than ever important because of Canada's election on 19 October to membership in the U.N. Economic and Social Council for the next three calendar years.

As has been accomplished in the United States, the two large labor groups in Canada--those organized by crafts and on an industry basis--are merging, and as both groups have separately endorsed The World Calendar. It is expected that a request to the government from the resulting consolidation for support of The World Calendar will be made. Having regard to the endorsements on record with the government from employer organizations, from labor, from scientific and other important organizations there should be little doubt about Canada's position when the item of World Calendar Reform is under consideration by ECOSOC.

A considerable amount of printed matter was distributed to various organizations and individuals throughout the year, and Canadian newspapers carried much news matter and syndicated articles on calendar reform.

In Canada, there seems to be little doubt about the ultimate success of the movement--only the time when this will be brought about is uncertain.

CANADA
1954

SIGNIFICANT progress towards international agreement on calendar reform was reported at the Eighth Annual Meeting 14 January 1955 of The World Calendar Association, International, held in the International Building, New York City, . Published highlights (JCR Vol. 24, March 1955) for CANADA:

The year 1954 was one of special activity due to the action of India in October 1953 in putting The World Calendar plan before ECOSOC.

Throughout the year special efforts were made to get such Canadian Government support as was possible with Canada not at present on ECOSOC. A Memorandum, Measurement of Time, prepared for the Department of External Affairs, was sent to a number of other departments. This reviewed Canada's connection with Standard Time and Calendar Reform. The Department of External Affairs has been most cooperative.

The death of Mr. Harry S. Southern, Publisher of The Ottawa Citizen, on 26 March 1954, a member of the Canadian Affiliate, and for many years an ardent and valuable supporter of our cause, is recorded with great regret.

During July, the Chairman made a trip to Western Canada, achieving a considerable amount of publicity for The World Calendar ant making valuable contacts.

The very welcome announcement of the Vatican's favorable attitude received much attention in the Canadian press, particularly in the Province of Quebec.

In New York in November, when the Honorary Secretary of the British Section and International Liaison Officer, Mr. James Avery Joyce, was present, many matters of importance were discussed with the President and Dr. Clarence R. Decker, consultant to the Association, and Mr. Walter Mitchell, Jr., presently engaged in special research concerned with financial savings to be obtained from adoption of The World Calendar.

The Chairman was granted use of a 15-minute period of the Department of Labour's broadcast Canada at Work to outline benefits to be obtained from The World Calendar. Other broadcasts made available were CPRA's Weekly World Report (31 October) and Home Forum, WRC, Washington, D. C. (5 November).

Contacts were maintained with important national organizations of employers and employees. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, in a Policy Declaration, again requested government support at the United Nations for The World Calendar. A number of organizations wrote to ECOSOC during the Geneva meeting. The Canadian Council of the International Chamber of Commerce continues its support of The World Calendar.

The conflict caused by holidays such as Christmas and New Year's coming on Saturday, already a half or whole day off for many, was used to show how much better conditions would be with The World Calendar.

Throughout the year the press in Canada has devoted much space to the general subject of calendar reform and in support of The World Calendar in particular. Helpful publicity was obtained from interest attaching to the Indian proposal and subsequent events. The Chairman has made a point of answering as many letters as possible which gave any indication of opposition based on the fallacious claim of the unbroken continuity of the week.

CANADA
1953

SUSTAINED progress toward the international enactment of calendar reform was reported at the Seventh Annual Meeting 15 January 1954 of The World Calendar Association, International, held in the International Building, New York City. Published highlights (JCR Vol. 24, April 1954) for CANADA:

There has been no falling-off in Canada's interest in calendar reform during the year 1953. The attitude of members of the government continues favorable, and all important business and labor organizations have already endorsed the movement. The Canadian Standards Association is considering the proposals made by the International Standardization Organization to bring the subject of calendar reform into their orbit, a proposal which has already been endorsed by their French affiliate and several other groups. . . .The year has been occupied with the usual campaign of addresses and service to press and radio. An article in Canadian Business has proved very influential; five hundred copies were requested by the new Australian committee for circulation there. . . . Government officers in Ottawa continue to maintain a favorable attitude in international forums; unfortunately Canada is not currently represented in ECOSOC. . . .Early in the year, the Chamber of Commerce of Canada presented to the Canadian government as a "policy declaration" its request that The World Calendar should be initiated through the United Nations. . . . The Canadian section has throughout the year maintained a lively cooperative contact with London and Australia.

On 15 December the Canadian section presented a Memorandum to the Honorable Lester Pearson, Secretary of State for External Affairs, summing up the history of the calendar reform movement in Canada. It called attention to the fact that Canada was one of the first nations to be recorded at an international meeting as favorable to revision of the calendar. This was at the League of Nations in Geneva in 1931. (Answering a question in Parliament, in February 1947, the Right Honorable Louis St. Laurent stated that Canada had supported in principle a perpetual calendar.) At the United Nations in 1949, calendar reform was place on the provisional agenda of the General Assembly by Panama, but was removed from the agenda by a tie vote in committee. Canada was on of the four nations (with China, Chile and Venezuela) which voted to retain the subject on the agenda. Now the subject has again been put before the U.N., this time by India. Canada, it would seem, has good reason to support the request of India.

 

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