Stuart Sinclair Garson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)
Liberal
Mr. Garson:
In some cases I confess that what might seem to be actions warranting prosecutions are not prosecuted; but before we criticize the provincial attorney general and his law officers in these cases in the course which they follow, let us remember that there are many exceedingly bitter, and highly intelligent, enemies of communism who are quite as sincerely, and in some cases perhaps soundly, of the view-I think this view was expressed only this afternoon by the hon. member for Rosetown-Biggar (Mr. Coldwell)-that communism underground is less subject to control by the lawful authorities; that communism underground can have more effective contacts with those whom
Communist Activities in Canada they wish to convert; that communism underground is a much more sinister and dangerous movement than it is aboveground where it is now.
If in the exercise of their sincere judgment any provincial attorney general-I am not saying this to be unfair at all, but for example the attorney general of Ontario, when my hon. friend was premier of that province -sees fit not to prosecute in some such case, one should not immediately jump to the conclusion that this is necessarily an unwise action on his part.