842.20 Defense/43
Memorandum by the Secretary of the American Section of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense of the United States and Canada (Hickerson)
I have learned informally from Mr. Moffat, our Minister to Canada, that a few days ago General Crerar, the Chief of Staff of the Canadian Army, in conversation with Norman Armour6 concerning the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, remarked that as the Canadian Government had no secrets from the British Government he personally favored converting the Permanent Joint Board on Defense into a triple British-Canadian-American Board; or, if this were not possible, to invite British representatives to sit in at some of the meetings.
This is the first suggestion of this sort which I have heard, and I earnestly hope that the Canadian Government will not raise such a question; I do not believe there is much chance of their doing so. May I point out, against the possibility of someone raising this question with you, that such an addition would virtually destroy the premise on which we have thus far worked in the Joint Board. We have stated quite frankly to the Canadian Section that the job of the Joint [Page 148] Board is to consider the defense of Canada and the United States from attack, and no other question. We have added that it is of course the policy of the American Government to give every possible assistance short of actual participation in the war to the British Government and to the Canadian Government in its overseas effort, but that such assistance will be given by agencies other than the Permanent Joint Board on Defense. It seems to me that this is a sound basis upon which to proceed.
I repeat, I seriously doubt whether the Canadian Government will raise with us General Crerar’s suggestion; I certainly hope they do not. Mr. Moffat informs me he does not believe Crerar’s point of view finds any favor with the civilian authorities in Canada.7