CANADA'S EMBARGO

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1931, Page 9

CANADA'S EMBARGO

SOVIET-MADE GOODS

RUSSIA RECIPROCATES

OTTAWA, 19 th April. { A London message states that as a reprisal for 'Canada's embargo on Soviet-made goods, Russia has forbidden her importers and trade representatives abroad to purchase Canadian j goods or use Canadian shipping. Tho embargo, which was announced in Moscow on Sunday, was not unexpected here, although members of the Government are unwilling to comment on the Bussian decision. Six weeks ago action was taken by the Canadian Government to ban imports of Bussian coal, lumber, timber, woodpulp, asbestos, and fur. Between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 dollars worth of Canadian trade will bo affected. Most seriously affected will be agricultural implements, of which Russia has' been a heavy buyer during recent years.

On 27th February, Mr. E. B. Kyckman, Minister of National Ecvenue in tho Canadian Government, announced the decision to "prohibit the importation into Canada of any goods exported directly or indirectly from any country not a contracting party to the Treaty of., Versailles." Russia comes under this provision. The reasons for the ban were that tho Government was convinced that "Russia is employing forced labour in the cutting of timber and in the milling, of coal, that political prisoners are exploited, that the standard of living is below any level conceived in Canada." Tho principal commodity which Kussia sold to Canada was anthracite coal. Some Russian furs were brought in direct, also. The competition of coal from Bussia and the clanger that pulp wood and lumber would follow it into the Canadian market had led to an agitation in Canada for the banning of Bussian products, but Canada had been endeavouring to arrange a conference of the principal wheat-growing countries of the world and it was stated that Russia was willing to co-operate, so no move was made. For some time the commodities which were sent from Bussia to Canada apart from coal, were not of much importance. Last year Canadian imports from the U.S.S.B. totalled 1,964,000' dollars, of which all but 04,000 dollars was for coaJi Last year Canada exported 1,690,000 dollars' worth of goods to Bussia, less than half the total for the previous year.