The Canadian Parliament has passed its budget for the current year, which includes a provision for free entry of Palestine citrus fruits into Canada each year during the months of January, February, March and April, which is the season for Palestine citrus export.
The passage of the above measure was made possible due to the warm sympathy of the Hon. R. B. Bennett, Premier of Canada, towards Zionism and the upbuilding of the Jewish Home Land.
The initiative in connection with the above measure was taken by Mr. Joseph Hestrin, Barrister at Law, of Winnipeg, Canada, acting on behalf of the Palestine Citrus Fruit Exchange composed of the Pardess Cooperative Society, whose President is I. Rokeach; the Jaffa Fruit Co., whose President is S. Tolkovsky; and “Hit”, representing the labor cooperative societies of Palestine.
Abraham A. Heaps, the Jewish Labor member for Winnipeg, assisted in introducing the matter to the attention of the Canadian Government, particularly to the Premier and to the Finance Minister, the Hon. E. M. Rhodes.
Mr. Bennett was always interested in freeing the cause of Zionism. He showed it in the year 1925, at the opening of the Hebrew University at Jerusalem, and on many other occasions.
The Canadian Government, in granting the above preference, had to overcome certain difficulties of constitutional and international law.
Thus, the restriction of free import to four months was dictated by the necessity of overcoming the difficulties involved in Favored Nations’ Treaties. Oranges imported during these months will not compete with those from countries affected by such treaties, inasmuch as their orange season does not clash with that of Palestine.
Mr. Harry Viteles. President of the Central Cooperative Bank of Palestine was consulted all through the negotiations, as was Mr. A. J. Freiman, President of the Zionist Organization of Canada.
45,000 cases of Palestinian oranges were imported into Canada since January, being eight times the amount entering Canadian ports during the fiscal year 1932. It is expected that the removal of the tariff will provide a powerful stimulus for trade between Canada and Palestine.
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