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Documents on Canadian External Relations
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Volume #23 - 524. | |||
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CHAPTER III EASTERN EUROPE AND THE SOVIET UNION | |||
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PART
5 SOVIET UNION | |||
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SECTION
A TRADE AGREEMENT | |||
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524. |
PCO | ||
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Extract from Cabinet Conclusions | |||
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SECRET |
[Ottawa],
February 2nd, 1956 | ||
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Present The Minister of Trade and Commerce and Minister of Defence Production (Mr. Howe), The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Gardiner), The Minister of National Health and Welfare (Mr. Martin), The Minister of National Revenue (Dr. McCann), The Minister of Labour (Mr. Gregg), The Secretary of State for External Affairs (Mr. Pearson), The Minister of Justice (Mr. Carson), The Minister of Veterans Affairs and Postmaster General (Mr. Lapointe), The Minister of Finance (Mr. Harris), The Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys (Mr. Prudham), The Minister of National Defence (Mr. Campney), The Leader of the Government in the Senate and Solicitor General ( Senator Macdonald), The Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources (Mr. Lesage), The Minister of Transport (Mr. Marler), The Secretary of State (Mr. Pinard). The Secretary to the Cabinet (Mr. Bryce), The Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet (Mr. Martin), The Registrar of the Cabinet (Mr. Halliday). . . . PROPOSED TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE U.S.S.R.
12. The Secretary of State for External Affairs said the Russian trade delegation, which had been invited to come to Ottawa as the result of his visit last year to the U.S.S.R., had now arrived. There would be some difficult points in the negotiations, for example points relating to security, to shipping, and probably to a Russian request to station additional representatives in Canada. The Minister recommended, with the concurrence of the Ministers of Trade and Commerce and Finance, that the Canadian negotiating team be headed by Mr. Mitchell Sharp, the Associate Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce, and be composed of representatives from the departments concerned. The Cabinet would be informed of the progress of the talks. An explanatory memorandum had been circulated. ( Minister's memorandum, Jan. 30, 1956-Cab. Doc. 21-56?) 13. The Minister of Trade and Commerce said the Russians had sent a high class delegation and the negotiations might be difficult. He was proposing to insist, however, that Russia undertake to buy 500,000 tons of wheat a year for 3 years. 14. During the discussion it was pointed out that, if the Russians were allowed to station additional representatives at various points in the country, it would probably be necessary to increase the staff of the special branch of the R.C.M.Police. This problem, however, did not have a direct connection with any possible trade agreement. It was also suggested that a representative of the Department of Agriculture might be added to the delegation. 15. The Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Secretary of State for External Affairs, concurred in by the Ministers of Trade and Commerce and of Finance, that the delegation for the negotiations on a possible trade agreement with the U.S.S.R. be headed by Mr. Mitchell Sharp, Associate Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce, and be composed of representatives of the Departments of Trade and Commerce, Finance, National Revenue, External Affairs, Agriculture, and the Bank of Canada, with the assistance of other departments as required. . . .
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