https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/20b2dc31a9fb9527e813c7ac5d1ccac2.pdf a8dcb48a40a9265f59027a732642a9ae PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act ocument divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information $02 /O -f* y7~7t£?-* CABINET OEhENCE COMSVilTTEt Document Mo. 0 DOWNGR&V^ T? ? A T , REWiT A SECRET A .1.4.-5- Copy No. 9 FEB2 t ms ^ U 1 * ^ ] THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT MEMORANDUM FOR CABINET DEFENCE COMMITTEE: The Deployment of Nuclear Weapons to the Existing Storage F a c i l i t i e s at United States Leased P o r t i o n , Goose Bay Air Base 1. During the e a r l y stages of the Korean W a r , the United States author i t i e s proposed that authority be given to the construction of storage facilities for n u c l e a r weapons in the United States leased portion of Goose Bay. In October 1950 the Canadian Government authorized the construction of t h e s e facilities on the understanding that further authority would be r e q u i r e d p r i o r to the actual physical storage of nuclear weapons at Goose Bay. The s t r u c t u r e was completed but its use h a s been limited to the t e m p o r a r y storage of n u c l e a r weapons and components in t r a n s i t on authorized flights, when the a i r c r a f t c a r r y i n g t h e s e weapons or components have b e c o m e t e m p o r a r i l y unserviceable on landing at Goose Bay. No p e r m a n e n t storage has taken place at t h i s facility in Goose Bay, 2. On 13 J a n u a r y 1958, the Cabinet approved the holding of d i s c u s s i o n s between Canadian and United States m i l i t a r y authorities concerning the deployment of nuclear weapons to the existing storage facilities at Goose Bay. On 5 F e b r u a r y 1958, the Chiefs of Staff met with the C o m m a n d e r - i n - C h i e f , Strategic Air Command, to explore fully the implications of t h i s p r o p o s a l . 3. Strategic Air Command plans a r e based on the p r e m i s e that the enemy holds the initiative . T h e r e f o r e , the capability must exist, after absorbing the first attack, to r e t a l i a t e in such strength that it would be unprofitable for the enemy to initiate n u c l e ar w a r . To t h i s end, its forces a r e widely d i s p e r s e d in the United States with forward b a s e s in the United Kingdom, Spain, North Africa, Alaska and the P a c i f i c . Nuclear weapons a r e d i s p e r s e d at t h e s e o v e r s e a s b a s e s so that a i r c r a f t may be r e a r m e d for a second attack without making the long flight to t h e i r home b a s e s . B e c a u se of its favourable s t r a t e g i c location, Goose Bay would be a valuable a l t e r n a t e forward base for Strategic Air Command. 4. It is not intended to change the status of the United States l e a s e d portion of Goose Bay to become a p e r m a n e n t b o m b e r b a s e , or to launch initial s t r i k e s from t h i s base* It will continue to be used, as in the p a s t , for t a n k e r squadron operations and for occasiona l e x e r c i s e s * The storage of n u c l e a r weapons at Goose Bay may r e q u i r e a s m a l l additional i n c r e m e n t to the p e r m a n e n t USAF e s t a b l i s h m e n t t h e r e to provide for c a r e and m a i n tenance of the weapons. Strategic Air Command does not intend to r e q u e s t s i m i l a r facilities at any other b a s e in Canada, No i n c r e a s e to the a i r defences of the a r e a is anticipated. •ptak^SECRET 001008 �P* **•<& « r\ ruffwaftf-H-rlrnrd under the Access to Information Act f-* "Qocuiwi*(*'i"Julgue en vertu de la to/ sur I'acces a I'information FEB 2 1 1985 2**® SECRET - 2 - 5. In May 1957 the Canadian Government accepted a r e c o m m e n d a t i o n of the NATO Council r e g a r d i n g the s t r a t e g i c objectives of the North A m e r i c a n a r e a of NATO, which includes provision for "4n (Effective b a s e . for and effective^protection of the s t r a t e g i c a l n u c l e ar counter-offensive capability"* The Chiefs of Staff consider that the s t o r a g e of nuclear weapons at Goose Bay i s in a c c o r d a n c e with the intention of the s t r a t e g i c a l objectives mentioned above. The s t o r a g e of n u c l e a r weapons at Goose Bay would add to the flexibility, capability and effectiveness of the d e t e r r e n t force* It h a s been a s c e r t a i n e d that the s t o r a ge of nuclear weapons at Goose Bay does not c r e a t e any additional r i s k , 6, No change in existing legislation is r e q u i r e d t o p e r m i t the i m p o r t , export and storage of n u c l e a r weapons and components in Canada* RECOMMENDATION 7. The Chiefs of Staff r e c o m m e n d , and I concur, that the Canadian Government approve in principle the r e q u e s t by the United States for the deployment of n u c l e a r weapons to the existing s t o r a g e facilities at Goose Bay* If and when approval in principle i s given, the details of t h i s a g r e e ment will be negotiated by m e a n s of an exchange of notes between Canada and the United States, including the p r o v i s i o ns for adequate safety and controls a s shown in the attached Annex "A", MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE D e p a r t m e n t of ^National Defence, 21 October, 1959. 001009 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act it divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information UK-3VD' J T^-SECRET FEB 2 1 1985 ANNEX "A" The weapons under consideratio n a r e Strategic Air F o r c e weapons as may from time to. t i m e be m a d e available to the US Strategi c A i r . F o r c e under the command of C - i n - C Strategic Ai r F o r c e , United States Air F o r c e . These weapons will be stored at Goose Bay* L a b r a d o r . The c o st of the establishment^ maintenance and operation of the s t o r a g e facilities shall be the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the United States Government* Tlie a r r a n g e m e n t s for physica l s e c u r i t y of the storage s i t e s will be the joint responsibility of the two Governments* Safeguards in the design and handling of t h e s e weapons t o minimize the possibility of accidental explosion and to afford the m a x i m u m protectio n of l i v es and p r o p e r t y w i l l be the responsibility of the United States Government and w i ll be subject t o approval by the Canadian Government* Ownership and custody of the nucleur w a r h e a d s s h a l l r e m a i n with the United States Government in a c c o r d a n ce with United States law* T r a n s p o r t a t i o n to or from s t o r a g e facilities of t h e s e Weapons and w a r h e a d s through Canadian a i r s p a c e will be governed by Canadian Government regulations* Import and export of t h e s e weapons will be subject to Canadian Goyern-m e n t regulations* and detailed, p r o c e d u r e s will be negotiated between the a p p r o p r i a t e Government Departments* 001010 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Hft-dj'-ttJlgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information MiUSECRB R " 2 U JLS(H&' 7 "FEB 2^1 1985 .. .. &®®~SECRET It is understood that weapons stored at Goose Bay will not be used for an initial strike and in any case the removal from storage for operational use will be subject I' to the concurrence of the Canadian Government. Any test firing of these weapons which may be required will take place outside of Canada. The terms of this Agreement will be reviewed annually by the two Governments and may be terminated by either Government,upon six months' notice. Supplementary arrangements or administrative agreements between authorized agencies of the two Governments may be made from time to time for the purpose of carrying out the intent of this Agreement. 001011 � 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 CDNW16520 Title A name given to the resource CDNW16520 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "Continental defence - Atomic capability," RG25-A-3-b, vol 5930, file 50210-F-40, part 4.2, Library and Archives Canada (LAC).