Extracts from a confidential report from Seán Murphy to
Conor Cruise O'Brien (Dublin)
(Confidential) (Copy)

Following my airmail minute of 21st August¹ in reply to your official minute of 14th August² requesting a list of persons in Canada who are known to be actively friendly to the Anti-Partition movement, I am now sending you this confidential report dealing with the general question of support in Canada for the Anti-Partition movement.

As I have already reported, there is no Anti-Partition organisation in Canada. There are several people in this country who are known to be friendly to the movement but very few (if any) are ‘actively’ friendly in the sense of being willing to form or join an Anti-Partition organisation or to appear on a public platform. Some are quite ready to expound and defend our point of view to all comers in private conversation and, in a few instances, through the press. A few of these people were active in the Self Determination for Ireland League thirty years ago, and of the others, only one, Mr. Liam McKenna³ of Toronto has displayed anything amounting to a concrete and ‘actively’ friendly attitude in recent times (see below). The names and addresses of the more prominent of these people are set out on a list attached, (marked ‘A’), and the brief biographical details also given, (marked ‘B’), ⁴ may be of interest.

Canada presents a special problem in so far as the question of forming a positive Anti-Partition movement is concerned. It has a comparatively small population, scattered throughout a vast area, and the Irish elements in the population are likewise scattered, even though there are concentrated groups of Irish in a few of the large cities. Of the list of Anti-Partitionists, only one or two of the more prominent are to be found in each of the big cities from Montreal to Vancouver.

There is a very large fund of goodwill in Canada towards Ireland and the Irish people, but it is difficult to see how this could be at this stage turned into an actively sympathetic interest in partition. It must be remembered that the vast majority of the Irish in Canada are of the second and third generations at least, and although they are very proud of their origin, their interest in Ireland is sentimental, and vocal on St. Patrick’s Day. The sad truth of the matter is, I am afraid, that most of them have become completely British. This situation is in large measure due to the fact that during the last fifty years they have had very little revitalising through immigrants from Ireland. They look upon the Partition question as one of those unfortunate situations, mainly religious, which only time can arrange. They feel no urge to do anything about it because they regard it as something in which Canadians should not interfere. The attitude of the people (both the Irish element and others) is, in a way, a reflection of the attitude of the Government to the problem of Partition. There are some Cabinet Ministers (including, I would say, the Prime Minister)⁵ who would personally like to see the partition question settled; but they will not take any positive action which would help towards such a settlement unless and until some move in this direction is made by Britain. Similarly, if the people who are at present potentially capable of exerting an influence on our behalf ever got the green light and the incentive from members of the Government and other leaders of public opinion, then the large fund of goodwill which exists towards Ireland throughout this country could be turned to very good account.

[matter omitted]

Of the Irish in Canada who were born in Ireland, the better educated (members of the professions, etc.) who have a sound knowledge of what is involved in the Partition question will not take an open stand on the question due to fear of possible unfavourable repercussions on their businesses or careers. In the case of the ordinary Irish emigrant workers, both skilled and unskilled, in Canada, there is, I am afraid, evidence that many (probably most) of them have no clear conception of what is involved in the partition issue and, even with the best will in the world, could not be of much assistance to us at this stage.

[matter omitted]

With regard to Irish Societies here, the same observations apply as in the case of professional men.

[matter omitted]

The atmosphere here at present is not very favourable for the formation of Anti-Partition Societies, and the formation of such Societies would, I’m afraid, only antagonise large groups in certain areas. As against this, I would think that, in more favourable circumstances Anti-Partition Societies might be quite successful in certain areas, provided a sufficiently large number of influential men in public life and other leaders of opinion could be induced to join. The Minister may be assured that the main objectives and the various possibilities for achieving them are being kept constantly in mind.