https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/6b3efeabbcc4543d751c7a956f210e01.pdf 67aa9dcd98e845932fce887e0f37d770 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information Unrevised Hansard, July 5, 1959, pp.5442-3 (National Defence estimates) Mr. Pearkes: As the Leader of the Opposition well knows, the discussions at the i various meetings of the NATO council are carried out in camera and the press is not present. The council of the group of ministers issues a press release at the conclusion of these meetings. I think the best answer I can give him is to quote from the release which was made in April of this year. I am only quoting part of it: The ministers- Here, that refers to the ministers of defence 'of the NATO countries. —heard full and valuable reports by the military committee, the standing group and the supreme allied commanders on the present state of the forces of the alliance, on the progressive introduction of the most modern weapons and equipment and on the forces needed for NATO defence in the years ahead. They also heard progress reports on projects initiated by the heads of government in December. On the basis of those reports, a most useful discussion took place between the ministers and the NATO military authorities. minister has now said that it would not be honourable, and I agree with him, to alter a commitment of this kind without informing the other members of the council, presumably" so that there could be a discussion. As a matter of fact, this is how it has been done in the case of the United Kingdom when they wished to alter the commitment which they had accepted. There was a discussion in the appropriate NATO organ, but that is not the procedure that has always been adopted in all cases in NATO. However, the minister is also reported as having said in this meeting in the other place that any Russian attack in Europe could be forced to pause by the NATO shield forces which would use tactical nuclear weapons. I should like to ask him this question, whether he feels that our brigade group equipment in Europe is of a type now which would permit us to play our part in that operation, if it ever had to be undertaken? I am thinking particularly of the Lacrosse surface-tosurface missile of which the minister has spoken and which he says is shortly to be made available to the brigade. Has there been any progress in actually making that missile, which I believe can be used conventionally or in a nuclear way, available to the troops, and is there any other equipment which is required by the brigade to carry out this undertaking which is not now available to the brigade? Then, they went on to say that they confirmed their support of the basic NATO strategy for the preservation of peace and for the defence of member countries. This defensive strategy continues to be founded on the concept of a strong deterrent comprising the shield, with its conventional and nuclear elements, and the nuclear retaliatory forces. In other words, the requirements that the military commanders felt were Mr. Pearkes: There is money provided in necessary were explained to the ministers of defence, and these general proposals were the estimates for the initial procurement of this Lacrosse weapon. It is still undergoing confirmed by the meeting of the heads of government previously. Now, having these tests, and it is expected that these will have general proposals and general requirements been completed by this September. Our posiconfirmed by the heads of government, it tion in connection with the requirements of this seems to me it would not be quite honour- Lacrosse is unchanged. We believe it will able for a country to alter those agreed materially strengthen the powers of resistance of the brigade which is now in Europe. requirements without informing the other As other more advanced equipment becomes members of the alliance. This is what I meant in the remarks that- available I hope we shall take advantage of I made to the committee of the other place. that and we intend to keep that brigade fully I had no script, and I cannot remember equipped and operational. I have referred exactly the words that I used. I did not already this afternoon to the tests which are quote, as I have quoted here, but I thought being carried out in connection with the personnel carrier, which would be armoured, there might be a question on this subject so and I hope that those prove successful. i I had this final press release brought down this afternoon. Mr. Pearson: When the minister says that any Russian attack in Europe could be forced Mr. Pearson: I am glad to have the min- to pause by the NATO shield forces, which < ister's explanation of this particular report would use tactical nuclear weapons, he is which goes considerably further than he has referring, I take it, to such weapons in the gone today in his considered statement of the hands, not of the Canadian brigade at the nature of our obligations as a NATO member in present time but other components of the respect of the commitment we have accepted. shield forces, particularly the United States? The statement in the press which I have just Mr. Pearkes: That is correct; we have no read says that there must be agreement before a national commitment can be altered. The nuclear weapons at the present time. 000851 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW01720 Title A name given to the resource CDNW01720 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "DEFENCE - Canada-US Arrangements - Acquisition of Nuclear Weapons for Use by Canadian Forces," RG2-B-2, Box 23-24, file D-1-5(f), Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Nuclear Weapons Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en