Canada likely to alter line on boycott

Press, 21 February 1980, Page 6

Canada likely to alter line on boycott

NZPA-Reuter Ottawa The outgoing Cabinet of the defeated Canadian Prime Minister, Joe Clark, will today discuss Canadian support for President Jimmy Carter’s proposed Olympic boycott, but any decision will have to be taken by the newly-elected Prime Minister (Mr Pierre Trudeau). Mr Clark’s Conservative Government strongly supported Mr Carter’s move to have the Moscow Olympics boycotted or moved in retaliation for the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. However, the general election victory for Mr Trudeau’s Liberal Party means Canada may not now give its backing to such a move. Mr Trudeau has said in the past he would favour such a boycott only if it was strongly supported in the Third World. A senior official said that although Mr Clark’s outgoing Cabinet would discuss the Olympic question, the decision would have to be

1 taken by Mr Trudeau’s asf yet unnamed government : team. One of Mr Trudeau’s aides ■ said the boycott deadline • laid down by Mr Carter no ; longer applied to Canada. 1 Mr Trudeau and Mr Clark : had a brief telephone con- ■ versation yesterday, when it was agreed that the handlover should.take place next week. 1 In the General Election, called when Mr Clark’S minority government was defeated two months ago, the Liberals gained control in eastern'Canada, but fared ■ badly in the west. ' But they ended up with ’ 146 of the 282 parliamentary seats, a solid majority that would enable them to govern safely for a five-year ' term. Mr Clark’s Progressive Conservatives lost 33 seats and. will ihaVe only 103 in : the new parliament. The < Left-leaning New Democratic ; Party won 32, five more. 1 ; than at the last election in : May last year.