13 December 1968: Bernier to Bow - Participation in ABM Defence

In this message to Mr. W.N. Bow, Mr. Bernier summarized a recent meeting of External Affairs and National Defence officials on the subject of potential ABM participation. While the meeting participants seemed to agree that impact on Canada-U.S. relations was the most important consideration regarding a Canadian decision, there was still considerable debate over ABM policy. Bernier noted that the decision could impact the Canadian position in disarmament negotiations. C. J. Marshall, of the North American Defence and NATO Division, countered this assertion, and argued that participation in the U.S. ABM system would strengthen Canada’s position in disarmament negotiations, since Canadians “would then be insiders and not talk as a country which was not involved at all in the possible consequences of SALT.” Still, Bernier and other officials contended that “we might be considered like hypocrites if we advocated for SALT and joined the U.S. ABM system, which can be considered a dangerous upsetting factor in the actual balance of forces.”