Anti-U.S. Election Likely In Canada

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30051, 8 February 1963, Page 12

Anti-U.S. Election Likely In Canada

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, February 7. The Political crisis in Canada could deal another blow to Western and hemispheric solidarity and might even endanger the defence of the North American continent, the “New York Times” said today.

In Ottawa yesterday, Mr Diefenbaker dissolved the Canadian Parliament and announced a General Election on April 8.

The “New York Times” in an editorial said: “The overthrow of Mr Diefenibaker’s Conservative minority Government by a coalition of the Opposition parties now means a new election campaign which Mr Diefenbaker proposes to fight on a pronounced antiUnited States note.”

The newspaper said the Canadian crisis was triggered by a deplorably undiplomatic and heavy-handed statement issued by the State Department under obvious pressure from some of the armed services.

This statement called on Canada to arm itself with American nuclear warheads in keeping with mutual defence arrangements and it

rebuked Mr Diefenbaker for making confusing statements on the issue.

“He can capitalise on the touchy Canadian nationalism. which is already aroused over American economic and cultural penetration of Canada.” the paper said. "He can also capitalise on the Nassau agreement, which substituted Polaris submarines for aerial or fixedbased rockets which will lead to the removal of missile bases from Italy and Turkey “He has already cited this agreement as reason for delaying action on the warheads for planes and fixedbase missiles, and in this he will find support from the extensive ban-the-bomb sentiment in Canada.

“When the coming political campaign, which may well be a hot and ugly one. is over, it will still be true that we are all in the same boat.

“Ont can only hope that the good common sense of the Canadian people will prevent permanent damage to the friendly relations stretching back over a century, which Mr Diefenbaker himself must recognise in

his less political moments as absolutely essential to us both,” said the “New York Times.” Campaign Themes The Canadian Press said that though the variety of issues for the election varied from party to party, the three basic themes appeared to be:

(1) The performance of the Government and of the Opposition in Parliament, dissolved after the Conservative Administration was defeated twice in the Commons on Tuesday night by combined Liberal, Social Credit and New Democratic Party votes. (2) The national and international future of Canada, including whether the country should move to the political Right or Left, or into or out of closer alliances with other nations. *3) The still unsettled question of whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons, and under what conditions. Mr Diefenbaker stated his views in a vigorous defence of his Government in the Commons. He said his Government would continue to negotiate with the United States to have nuclear warheads “rapidly available in case of need,” thus assuring the nation’s security while doing nothing to increase the nuclear family. He rejected policies which were not made in Canada, and said Canada must always speak out against pressures from abroad

Mr Diefenbaker yesterday attended a shouting, cheering two-hour caucus -meeting of party members, held after persistent reports that a group within the Cabinet had challenged his leadership. He said afterwards he had been given “the most overwhelming support that I have ever received in all my years of politics.” Pearson “Happy” The Liberal leader, Mr Lester Pearson, said he was happy the date for the- election had been fixed. “We hope that the result will be clear and that the Liberal Party will win the support of the Canadian people.”

Mr Pearson’s campaign will start on Monday night. There was no indication when he or Mir Diefenbaker would open their campaign travels.

The Social Credit leader, Mr Robert Thompson, told reporters he expected his cross-country campaigning to begin in four weeks.