16 January 1967: Memorandum for the Under Secretary - Still Following ABM Developments in the U.S.

D.M. Cornett of Disarmament drafted a further memorandum on the subject of ABMs for consideration by the Minister of External Affairs.

This memorandum clearly highlights that the Canadian government continued to closely follow developments in the United States regarding potential ABM deployment. Cornett notably references President Johnson’s recent desire to “slow down the arms race” with the Soviet Union and the fact that he had not yet decided to deploy an ABM system.

However, there was still cause for concern in Ottawa, as Cornett wrote: “Canada may derive some satisfaction from the resistance of the President to pressures to deploy ABM's but as the option remains open, we cannot be confident that Congressional or military influences will not eventually prevail.”  

Cornett recommended to the minister that the Canadian Ambassador should express “gratification” to the State Department that ABMs had not yet been deployed, and continue to express Canadian interest on the issue, for arms control considerations, as well as defense.