https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/92db35a81243cefaf45ef7bcb3bd5f31.pdf 5ec63d5179b521674c331d1dbbf6e347 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the .Access to Information Act FILE COPY Defence Lipson diUg}/&.\Wrki File No. 50285-MO TOP SECRET DOWNGRADED TO SECRET 5, 1953.' REDU3T A SECRET l SZE on Agenda of Chiefs of Staff Committee MEMORANDUM FOR THE UNDER-SECRETARY Item No. 7 Meeting No. . March . 1953. ■ ' Control of the Armed Services in the Event of Disaster at Ottawa. *......... The attached JPC paper, CSC 1813-1 (JPC) of February 5» 1953» is a report on the above subject and contains recommendations for further action. The Chiefs of Staff Committee agreed, at its U9Uth meeting on May 15, 1951» that the following action be taken by the Vice-Chiefs of Staff Committees (1) The establishment of a stand-by control centre} (2) The preparation of an emergency plan to enable designated subordinate commanders to control the services if senior officers at N.D.H.Q. become casualties; and (3) The dispersion of some components from N.D.H.Q., not directly concerned with executive direction of the services, to points outside Ottawa. 2. Some action has been taken to disperse a few N.D.H.Q. components, but little has been done about establishing a stand-by control centre or “alternate" commanders. 2 . . 000010 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en.vertu de la Loi surltacces a /'information -2- Stand-By Control Centre 3. The Joint Intelligence Committee has made a study of the requirement for and the organization of a “Joint War Room” which could serve as a briefing centre and Information room. They recommended that little could be done about locating a War Room until the Government decides what it will do in an emergency. Similarly, the Joint Planning Committee have pointed out that the location of a Stand-Bv Control Centre will depend on where the Government will be located during an emergency, since the Service Commanders should remain in close proximity to the seat of government... ■ . • 4’ *+. The Dispersal Committee, a sub-comiaittee of the Cabinet Committee on Emergency Activities, is to meet shortly to Consider this matter. ■ ' 5. The JPC have recommended to the Chiefs of Staff Committee in the attached paper that: (1) A study be made by the JIC of the requirement for a Joint War Room to serve both as an operations headquarters in time of war and.as a briefing room in time of peace. • c (2) Directions be given the JPC as to what extent plans should be drawn up in conjunction with other Government departments for the control and direction of the Canadian Armed Services in the event of a major disaster in Ottawa. . Temporary Control of the Armed Services ' 6. z Two proposals have been made for continuation of command of the Services in the event of the death of one or all of the Chiefs of Staff by hostile attack* , (1) The Deputy Judge Advocate General has recommended that the Minister issue an order under Section 20 of the National Defence Act stipulating that the next < senior officer at N.D.H.Q. in the same Service, or if all officers at N.D.H.Q. / above a specified rank are killed, that 3 . . 000011 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi surl'acces a I’information -3a specified officer serving outside N.D.H.Q. be authorized to exercise the function of a Chief of Staff temporarily. (2) The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff, has proposed that the following officers be designated as emergency alternates to the Chiefs of Staffs (a) The senior flag officer at one of the coasts to act for the Navy; (b) The General Officer Commanding, Quebec Command, to act for the Army; (e) The Air Officer Commanding, Air Defence Command, Montreal, to act for the Mr Force. 7. Th® JPC have recommended to the Chiefs of Staff Committee, in the paper before you, that each Service designate by appointment an ’‘alternate” Chief of Staff and that all service headquarters be informed of the officer designated so that plans may be prepared for an emergency* I M. H.WKRSW Defence Liaison (1) Division.; 000012 � 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 CDWB00035 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1952/12/27-1955/06/23 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG25-A-3-b, vol. 6028, file 50285-40, pt 1 "Emergency planning by National Defence Headquarters, in Ottawa in event of disaster", Library and Archives Canada. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LAC ATIP A-2018-00657 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Emergency Planning 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 Title A name given to the resource Memorandum to the Under-Secretary (March 1953)