Canada's Strategic North

February 12, 1947,1 concerning defence co-operation with the Edition). United States deserves the most careful reading, not only Canadians and Americans, but also those who determine Soviet foreign policies. To those familiar with Canadian-United States undertakings in the north since 1940, it will come as a statesmanlike and courageous pronouncement about an exceedingly difficult and delicate situation. The statement, and the accompanying explanation, should be read with awareness of the background of northern events and of the audiences to which it was addressed. The important events will be summarized first. 1. President Roosevelt and Mr. King agreed, in 1938, that neither would the United States stand idly by if Canada were attacked, nor would an enemy be permitted to cross Canada to attack the United States. The Permanent Joint Board on Defence was set up in August, 1940, to provide a forum for official discussions of common defence problems. It was not then, nor is it now, an executive agency. It can discuss policies and recommend plans but the two government acting independently are perfectly free to adopt than or turn them down. It has, for example, no power to invite United States forces into Canada, to construct bases, or even to standardize equipment. It is an advisory body under civilian control. 2. After the war had begun in Europe there was belated recognition military authorities of the sphericity of the globe, and of the fundamental changes that had been brought about in strategic geography the perfection of long-range aircraft. Direct consequences of this included the Alaska military road, the Canol oil project, and later the Crimson air ferry route which cut a swath across Canadian territory from Great Falls, Montana, to Baffin Island. Several very large air bases were built, more than a score of weather stations and special projects were scattered throughout the north, and United States military authorities became more active in northern Canada than any agency of the home government. 3. This trend was reversed during 1944, when United States troops

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