https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/94484f2752914f979f55231eaaf53529.pdf 6416bcf53c99fd1a4075b2b87e986ed1 PDF Text Text DL(1)A.R. Crepault^nw DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MEMORANDUM TO : Xbs. Mtev.-.$.e.wst&w, Security . C O N F I D E N T I A L Date.... Mar.ch. l& y . 195.7 FROM: .. .Dfif.en.Ci3. Liaison.. {.l.\. D i v i s i an REFERENCE: File No. / ... .Our. .memorandum. af. .March. .L5,.. 1957 e ^ < $ SUBJECT: . .6Q#:fcb. .Meeting. .of. . t h e . Chi ef s . of.. S t a f f . .Committee. ~». Item 2 - Canadian Policy Regarding New Weapons ^ This will confirm the indication given in our memorandum under reference that no special documentation has been prepared by the Department of National Defence on this matter for the next meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. We understand that General Foulkes* intention in placing this question on the agenda is to obtain the informal views of the committee on the nature of the reply, if any, which the Minister of National Defence might make to press enquiries in Canada in the event information on the United States 1957 Mutual Aid Programme leaks out. The Committee will not be expected lit tomorrow's meeting to discuss in detail the new United States proposals, if only because of the lack of precise information on these proposals other than that contained in the three telegrams received from Paris. 2. We must assume that^ for obvious political reasons, the Canadian government will wish, if it becomes public knowledge that the United States have now decided to embark on a Mutual Aid Programme designed to equip NATO forces with new weapons, to assure the Canadian public that all necessary steps will be taken to secure no less effective weapons for Canadian forces. As Canada does not qualify, however, for United States Mutual Aid Programmes, nor has any desire to do so, such modern weapons when available may have to be secured through straight purchase or under mutually acceptable agreements, concerning their development and production, 3. In terms of practical implementation, the provision of'modern weapons to Canadian forces, especially to those stationed in Canada, could give rise to a number of problems . •• & A0027623 149-000149 �• 4i -2- CONFIDENTIAL which would require careful consideration. The leak last year of information that consideration was being given by the United States Government to the installation of NIKE weapons in the Windsor area gave rise to fairly strong public reaction in Canada, with the result that this possibility was at that time dropped altogether. The possibility, however, that our European allies might now have access to these new weapons, clearly calls for a review of the Canadian position in a completely different light, and should well lead Canadian public opinion to demand that the weapons made available to Canadian forces, whether stationed in Canada or abroad, be at least on-a par with that provided to forces of other NATO countries. 4. In the circumstances, it would seem adequate at this stage for the Minister of National Defence, in the event of questions by the Press, to indicate that Canadian authorities are following developments in this field very closely, and that all necessary steps will be duly taken to insure that Canadian forces have access to new weapons, as they become available for the defence of the free world. Defence Liaison (1) Division A0027623 150-000150 � 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 CDNW00885 Title A name given to the resource Memorandum from Defence Liaison Division to the Under-Secretary Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 18-Mar-57 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived ÒAtomic weapons - Canadian policy,Ó RG25-A-3-b, vol. 5960, file 50219-AM-40, pt. 1.1, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Description An account of the resource 608th Meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee 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