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SUMMARY
For obvious reasons of geography the se-
the election held in June 1949. There are no
curity of Canada is of vital concern to the
current political controversies of serious con-
United States, and the stability of Canadian
sequence; both government and Opposition
political, economic, and social life is of the
are moderate in their attitudes. Communist
highest importance. Canada has long been a
and other subversive influences are negligible.
friend, and is now also an ally, closely asso-
A prime requirement in Canadian domestic
ciated with the US in trade, finance, defense,
affairs is to maintain a balanced and har-
and general political outlook. Any substan-
monious relationship between the English-
tial change for the worse in this relationship
speaking part of the population and the
would pose most serious problems to the US
French-speaking minority, which comprises
Government and people. No indications of
30 percent of the total and is largely concen-
such change exist, however, and there is at
trated in the province of Quebec. French-
present no reason to expect any lessening of
Canadians as a whole are conservative, paci-
Canadian stability, any weakening of demo-
fistic, isolationist, and tenacious of their na-
cratic convictions, or any substantial diminu-
tional characteristics and traditions. They
tion of Canadian regard for the US.
refuse to accept conscription, and they are un-
The strategic importance of Canada to the
enthusiastic about a dynamic foreign policy.
US is due not only to its proximity and to the
They are wary of the cultural impact of the
extreme dangers which would exist if it were
United States, though not actively unfriendly;
hostile, but also to its location on US commu-
and while anti-imperialist, they have in the
nications to Alaska and to its advantages as
past favored limited constitutional ties with
a site for air and naval bases. In World War
Great Britain because they have felt that Lon-
II the principal anti-submarine bases for the
don would prevent their English-speaking
Western Atlantic were in Newfoundland, and
neighbors, both in Canada and across the bor-
that island is still an essential way-station on
der, from undue interference with their reli-
air routes to Europe. Transpolar aviation
gion and customs. The French-Canadians
and further developments in arctic warfare
could and would make serious trouble for any
will probably in the near future lend added
Canadian government which should disregard
significance to other Canadian bases and in-
their peculiar interests, but the problem is
crease the importance of Canada to US se-
well understood in Ottawa and it is extremely
curity.
unlikely that any government would risk such
Canada is a constitutional monarchy; its
trouble.
King, George VI, is represented in Ottawa by
The country's rich endowment in natural
a Governor-General. Like the United States,
resources makes it one of the most important
Canada is a federation, but the ten constitu-
producers in the world of strategic and other
ent provinces have somewhat fewer independ-
raw materials. Canada's grain and other
ent powers than do the states of the US. The
food products are of importance chiefly to
federal government, located in Ottawa, is con-
Western Europe and itself; but a number of
ducted mainly in accordance with British par-
its forest products and non-ferrous metals
liamentary and administrative practices. At
have for years represented the principal US
present it is in the hands of the Liberal Party,
sources of supply for those commodities.
which won a very large majority of seats at
More recent developments of strategic impor-
Note: The intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, Army, Navy, and the
Air Force have concurred in this report. It contains information available to CIA as
of 1 October 1949 except where otherwise noted.
1
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"ocrText": "SUMMARY\nFor obvious reasons of geography the se-\nthe election held in June 1949. There are no\ncurity of Canada is of vital concern to the\ncurrent political controversies of serious con-\nUnited States, and the stability of Canadian\nsequence; both government and Opposition\npolitical, economic, and social life is of the\nare moderate in their attitudes. Communist\nhighest importance. Canada has long been a\nand other subversive influences are negligible.\nfriend, and is now also an ally, closely asso-\nA prime requirement in Canadian domestic\nciated with the US in trade, finance, defense,\naffairs is to maintain a balanced and har-\nand general political outlook. Any substan-\nmonious relationship between the English-\ntial change for the worse in this relationship\nspeaking part of the population and the\nwould pose most serious problems to the US\nFrench-speaking minority, which comprises\nGovernment and people. No indications of\n30 percent of the total and is largely concen-\nsuch change exist, however, and there is at\ntrated in the province of Quebec. French-\npresent no reason to expect any lessening of\nCanadians as a whole are conservative, paci-\nCanadian stability, any weakening of demo-\nfistic, isolationist, and tenacious of their na-\ncratic convictions, or any substantial diminu-\ntional characteristics and traditions. They\ntion of Canadian regard for the US.\nrefuse to accept conscription, and they are un-\nThe strategic importance of Canada to the\nenthusiastic about a dynamic foreign policy.\nUS is due not only to its proximity and to the\nThey are wary of the cultural impact of the\nextreme dangers which would exist if it were\nUnited States, though not actively unfriendly;\nhostile, but also to its location on US commu-\nand while anti-imperialist, they have in the\nnications to Alaska and to its advantages as\npast favored limited constitutional ties with\na site for air and naval bases. In World War\nGreat Britain because they have felt that Lon-\nII the principal anti-submarine bases for the\ndon would prevent their English-speaking\nWestern Atlantic were in Newfoundland, and\nneighbors, both in Canada and across the bor-\nthat island is still an essential way-station on\nder, from undue interference with their reli-\nair routes to Europe. Transpolar aviation\ngion and customs. The French-Canadians\nand further developments in arctic warfare\ncould and would make serious trouble for any\nwill probably in the near future lend added\nCanadian government which should disregard\nsignificance to other Canadian bases and in-\ntheir peculiar interests, but the problem is\ncrease the importance of Canada to US se-\nwell understood in Ottawa and it is extremely\ncurity.\nunlikely that any government would risk such\nCanada is a constitutional monarchy; its\ntrouble.\nKing, George VI, is represented in Ottawa by\nThe country's rich endowment in natural\na Governor-General. Like the United States,\nresources makes it one of the most important\nCanada is a federation, but the ten constitu-\nproducers in the world of strategic and other\nent provinces have somewhat fewer independ-\nraw materials. Canada's grain and other\nent powers than do the states of the US. The\nfood products are of importance chiefly to\nfederal government, located in Ottawa, is con-\nWestern Europe and itself; but a number of\nducted mainly in accordance with British par-\nits forest products and non-ferrous metals\nliamentary and administrative practices. At\nhave for years represented the principal US\npresent it is in the hands of the Liberal Party,\nsources of supply for those commodities.\nwhich won a very large majority of seats at\nMore recent developments of strategic impor-\nNote: The intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, Army, Navy, and the\nAir Force have concurred in this report. It contains information available to CIA as\nof 1 October 1949 except where otherwise noted.\n1"
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