CANADA’S FATE IN A WAR

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24959, 21 August 1946, Page 7

CANADA’S FATE IN A WAR

“WOULD INEVITABLY BE BATTLEFIELD”

WARNING BY GENERAL (Rec. 11 p.m.) OTTAWA, August 19. A warning that in a third'great war among any combination of nations Canada would inevitably become a battlefield was given in the House of Commons by Major-General G. R. Pearkes, V.C. (Progressive Conservative, Nanaimo, British Columbia). Major-General Pearkes said that Canada’s plans for her post-war forces and her military preparations gave no indication that she would be ready or able to ward off an attack with modern weapons. “To-day only three Powers could launch a war—Britain, America, or Russia,” said Major-General Pearkes. “Take any combination of those and Canada will become a major theatre of war. “The historic Canadian policy of

leisurely preparing a fighting force to be shipped overseas to fight in conjunction with other Empire forces has served admirably for two wars, but now it is outdated. Canada must take every practical step to be ready to defend herself and accept her obligations as a member of the United Nations.” Major-General Pearkes urged the creation of a standing Parliamentary committee on defence and closer coordination among the .three services. The Minister of National Defence (Mr D. C. Abbott) told the House that Canada as far as practicable would like to see her military equipment standardised with the United States and the British Empire. Britain, America, and Canada at present were studying the subject.