Dear Mr. Heeney,

The Canadian Ambassador in Washington indicates in his despatch WA-490 of 7th February, 1951,1 that the United States Civil Defence Administration has received requests from individual States and from groups of States for authority to open negotiations with various Canadian provinces with a view to forming com­pacts for mutual protection in the field of civil defence. I feel that the time is now opportune for the setting up of a joint United States-Canadian working group on civil defence to make joint recommendations to the respective governments. My Minister does not feel that a joint Civil Defence Board as at one time suggested would be appropriate.

As one of the major problems for discussion by such a group will, undoubtedly, be the working out of arrangements whereby civil defence personnel and supplies for mutual aid may cross the international boundary freely in the event of a disas­ter, it is suggested that the Canadian section include representatives of the Depart­ment of National Defence (Office of the Civil Defence Co-ordinator), Department of External Affairs, Department of National Revenue (Customs), Department of Citizenship and Immigration and the Justice Department (R.C.M.P.).

I would suggest a meeting of the joint United States-Canadian working group as soon as possible, preferably in Ottawa. Could you ascertain whether or not such an arrangement would be suitable to the United States?

Any conclusions reached by such a joint meeting could, subject to approval of the respective governments, be embodied in an agreement effected by an exchange of notes.

I feel that the time is also opportune to discuss the exchange, between United States and Canadian governments, of civil defence personnel on a working level. You will recall that this matter was discussed at the first United States-Canadian civil defence meeting held in Washington on 21st November, 1950.

Yours sincerely,
        C.M. DRURY

⁸⁰ Approuvé par le Comité du Cabinet sur la défense, le 12 décembre 1951./Approved by Cabinet Defence Committee, December 12, 1951.