CANADA’S STAND

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1937, Page 6

CANADA’S STAND

On Defence VANCOUVER, July 22. Mr. Mackenzie King, back from the Empire Conference, said he had not committed Canada to any expense or to any obligation other than what had been authorised in Parliament, prior to his departure for London.' The general Canadian attitude towards the Empire is -better understood after a study of the effect of United State propinquity. The two countries share three thousand miles of undefended frontier. President Roosevelt has publicly warned the nations that any attack on Canada would be resisted with all the might of Uncle Sam’s army, navy, air force, and other services. Commercial relations are close, and tend to become still closer. Canada is the United States’ second best customer. American business capital invested in Canada is 50 per cent, more than British capital invested in the Dominion. The United States imports more from Canada than from any other country, accounting for 47 per cent, of the Dominion’s export and import trade, while the United Kingdom is responsible fop not more than 31 per cent, of the total.

RELATIONS WITH UNITED. STATES. These relations, enhanced by contant interchange of tourists and trade representatives, have built up a close bond between the two countries Tastes in commodities are similar. Canadian and American trade unions are affiliated. With every change in Imperial preference, American branch factories are established -in Canada, sometimes without the loss of a single day. Social, educational, industrial, commercial, and professional bodies hold regular conventions, which are attended by delegations from either country. United States tourists, in a no'rmal year, such as this, spent £50,000,000 in Canada. Tourists may carry across the border, either way, £2O worth of goods.

free of duty. Set against these factors Canada’s spirit of independence, the Empire tradition, and Quebec’s determination to resist any inroad on French-Canadian racial and cultural identity, and the observer will acquire a perspective through which he may adequately assess Canada’s sense of obligation to the British Commonwealth of Nations, as defined in the Act of Westminster, which legislation was initiated by Mr. Maskenzic King and his chief lieutenant, the French-Canadian leader; Mr. Lapointe.

In the light of these facts, the ambiguity of Mr. Mackenzie King’s foreign policy is easily understood. He is advocating a nationalist and iinperialits route, without committing himself to either. He wishes to avoid involving Canada in another war, but it would savour too much of Americanism to advocate neutrality. Prairie Liberals forced a 30 per cent, reduction in his defence estimates. They are now urging a ten-year plan, involving £100,000,00 for water conservation, irrigation, and afforestation to save Ihe prairie from becoming a desert. Alongside such a colossal undertaking Empire defence will be destined, perforce to mark time. 4