Fred Rose (politician) - Gouzenko Affair

Gouzenko Affair

Fred Rose was caught up in the world political sea change following World War II, when the Soviet Union, a major wartime ally, was now perceived as an enemy. In July 1945, Igor Gouzenko, a young cipher clerk in the Soviet embassy in Ottawa, was recalled to his homeland. Rather than return home, Gouzenko defected with documents claiming to show evidence of a massive Soviet spy ring operating in Canada. Rose was alleged to lead the ring, which was composed of up to 20 Soviet spies.

Few took his accusations and evidence seriously at first. Later, as the Cold War began to heat up, a Royal Commission on Espionage was established, headed by two Supreme Court justices, Roy Kellock and Robert Taschereau. Scores of people were rounded up under the Defence of Canada Regulations of the War Measures Act, held incommunicado for weeks on end, without legal counsel and barred from all contact with the outside world. Meanwhile, the Royal Commission issued a stream of press releases about the "Red menace". Prisoners were forcefully told to incriminate themselves and others under the penalty of contempt of court.

Fred Rose was the ultimate target, although the charges against him were non-specific and basically political in nature, making his defence difficult. At one point, he was defending himself against conspiracy, and at another against violating the Official Secrets Act.

In this charged atmosphere, Rose refused to testify at his trial, which was designed, he said, to "smear honest and patriotic Canadians". Rose denied his guilt to his death. Nevertheless, he was sentenced to prison for a term just one day longer than was required to deprive him of his elected seat in the House of Commons.

Rose wrote to the Speaker of the House, Gaspard Fauteux, on January 24, 1947:

"Mr. Speaker: If the will of the people is to prevail, if justice is to be done, there can be no question of my expulsion from the house. To the contrary, I should be in my seat in the House of Commons and not in the penitentiary. Parliament is the highest of Courts. Through its actions in my case it will decide whether hysteria is to continue or whether reason and justice are to prevail. Respectfully, Fred Rose, M.P."

His letter was returned to him at St. Vincent de Paul Penitentiary, and his fellow MPs never read this appeal. On January 30, 1947, he was expelled from Parliament.