18 March 1969: Memorandum from Disarmament - ABM System in U.S.

With Nixon’s decision on ABMs finally on the table, the Canadians started to show greater determination on the issue. In this memo to Politico-Military Affairs, officials in Disarmament suggested that the Prime Minister take a more decisive stance on the issue in an upcoming trip to Washington. While ABMs had not been initially slated to be a priority, the PM was said to have “committed himself to enquire when he goes to Washington” concerning the effect of the ABM deployment.

Disarmament recommended that there was no need “to be apologetic” when it came to the Canadian view. They stressed that Canada had been consistent in its position on ABMs: it had rejected the command and control proposal, and it had done so to fully evaluate the implications of ABM deployment on SALT and arms control more broadly. Disarmament expressed some optimism as well, as they wrote that “there is substantial evidence that President Nixon's announcement will not deter the Soviet Union from participating in strategic arms limitation talks.”