BID TO WOO CANADA

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32892, 15 April 1972, Page 15

BID TO WOO CANADA

(N.Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright) OTTAWA, April 14. President Nixon, cordially received on his first State visit to Canada, today has an opportunity to convince Canadians of the United States’ concern for their problems and determination to overcome current economic difficulties between them. Mr Nixon and the Canadian Prime Minister (Mr Trudeau) are to have a two-hour private talk, after which the President is to address a joint session of the Canadian Parliament. President Nixon set the tone for his two-day visit on his arrival last night when he stressed several times Canada’s separate identity and individuality. He acknowledged the economic differences with Canada —differences that will not be solved by this trip—and the apprehension that some Canadians felt in viewing the United States, but he was able to joke about it. Telling the storv of a Canadian barman who once recognised him on a private visit to Canada at the time he was vice-president, Mr Nixon said that the barman remarked that he did not look nearly as bad as his photographs suggested. “Maybe none of us looks quite as bad in person as we do in our picture,” Mr Nixon said in a banquet given last night in his honour. Mr Nixon declared that while the United States and 1

Canada were economic rivals in many areas, “we respect the separate identity, the right to pursue its own way that the people of Canada desire for their own destiny.” The President’s goal is to demonstrate to sceptical Canadians that the United States does not take them for granted and recognises Canadian concern at growing United States domination of Canadian industry. There have been few signs of public enthusiasm for the President, with only a small, invited crowd at the airport and almost deserted streets for his drive into the city at dusk last night. The absence of crowds was partly accounted for bv the weather—a glacial rain was falling when President Nixon arrived— and also by the tightest security arrangements in this easy going capital city. Canadian authorities were jittery after the physical attack by a Hungarian immigrant on the Soviet Prime Minister (Mr Alexei Kosygin) last vear. and also because of threats of demonstrations bv Canadian nationalists against United States economic domination of Canada. But despite the absence of crowds or show to public warmth, Mr Nixon was warmly received by Mr Trudeau and other Canadian leaders, first at the airport and then in a relaxed atmosphere at the evening banquet. Mr Nixon and Mr Trudeau will skirt their sharp differences over trade in their talks today at the Parliament building. The United States has been

pressing • for a reduction of the trade surplus Canada has with the United States. The Canadians argue that this trade advantage is offset by United States profits from investment in Canada.