Reconstruction in Canada: A Note on Policies and Plans

Abstract

This brief article is concerned with the steps taken by the Dominion government to re-establish in civil life those who enter the armed forces of Canada, and to prepare economic and social policies for the post-war period. Provinces and municipalities also have obviously a role to play in reconstruction. I make no attempt here to examine that role, or to evaluate such extremely fragmentary schemes as may already be formulated.The first responsibility of the Dominion government regarding reconstruction is to re-establish in civil life members of the armed forces, and already plans for this phase of reconstruction are well advanced. In December, 1939, a special committee of the Cabinet was constituted by Order in Council to examine “the problems which will arise from the demobilization and the discharge from time to time of members of the forces during and after the conclusion of the present war, and the rehabilitation of such members into civil life.” This committee duly formed an advisory interdepartmental committee, known as the General Advisory Committee on Demobilization and Rehabilitation, and sub-committees were organized to cope with specific portions of the subject. The net result of this varied committee activity was the formulation of specific policies which successively became implemented by Orders in Council or by Acts of parliament. An extensive and on the whole generous system for the wel-fare of the veteran emerged, with provision for pensions, hospitalization of the disabled, post-discharge allowances and treatment, vocational training, transitional re-establishment benefits, re-establishment in civil employment, allowances for resumption of interrupted education, allowances while await-ing returns from private enterprise or awaiting employment, and settlement on the land. Lessons have been gleaned from the experience of the last post-war period, and a praiseworthy attempt is made to avoid former mistakes.