21 September 1967: External to Canadian Mission to the United Nations - SSEA Upcoming Speech on Nuclear Arms Race

While the message delivered to the Canadian Ambassador was firm in tone, in this message, Ottawa suggested a lighter touch for an upcoming United Nations speech by the Secretary of State for External Affairs. Here, officials suggested that the Secretary of State “avoid extensive comment on implications of this [ABM deployment] development for Canada and North American defence.” The proposed remarks instead emphasized the importance of a Soviet-U.S. agreement on offensive and defensive weapons. The comments were intended to make it clear that Canada, as a “middle power vitally concerned about arms control and nuclear disarmament” was calling for “self-restraint” and “reasonableness” among the great powers. It was careful diplomacy designed to lower the temperature of the arms race without explicitly criticizing the U.S.