“Yes,” Sam thought, “two ravens make a pretty good team, and if Bessie and I can get these last two bombs set up, we’ll have done a good job too. At least we’ll wake up those northerners in Ottawa who keep forgetting there are people up here.”
Ottawa / 1:03 p.m., EDT
As the Prime Minister and Senator Thomas returned to the Cabinet Room, there was a wave of applause and congratulation as everyone stood while the Prime Minister moved to his chair at the head of the table. When the commotion had died down, he motioned them to be seated and sat down himself.
“Thank you, gentlemen, I appreciate your support”
“Prime Minister,” said the Minister for External Affairs, “you can see that we’re pleased with what you said. We support totally the position you took. We’re proud that you’re the leader of our party at this critical time.”
“Thanks, Robert. Thank you all. Now let’s get down to business. There’s a lot to be done.
“I’ve told you that there will be a major briefing starting at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. I have asked each of the ministers responsible for the departments most directly concerned to prepare a status paper for presentation at that time. The Ministers for External Affairs, Energy Mines and Resources, Northern Development, Transport, Environment, Finance, and National Defence will all make presentations.
“A question period will follow each briefing. Since we have only three hours, I’ve suggested that the combined statement and question period should not exceed twenty-five minutes per ministry. I have asked the Minister for External Affairs and his deputy to lead off.
“I met with all the ministers concerned and their deputies this morning. I assume that preparations are now well under way. Is this so, gentlemen?”
The seven ministers and their deputies all nodded.
“Good. The House will sit at twelve noon. I will introduce a motion made jointly by myself, the Leader of the Opposition, and the NDP and Social Credit leaders. I’d like the Minister of Justice to draft the motion.
“Could you do that for us, Ken, in the next few hours?”
Kenneth Locke, down the table on the Prime Minister’s right-hand side, said, “Certainly, sir.”
The Prime Minister continued. “I suggest, Ken, that the motion restate the ultimatum and move that it be rejected. This of course is a matter of form. The fact that I present it does not necessarily mean I support it. I want to listen to the debate in the House, to hear the briefing, and to talk with quite a number of people before I decide whether to vote for or against the motion. The stakes are far too high for me to make up my mind conclusively one way or the other until I have had a full opportunity to assess every aspect of the situation.
“As soon as you have the motion drafted, Ken, I would be obliged if you would bring it to me. We can work it over together and then perhaps you could take it to the leaders of the other parties for approval or amendment.”
Otto Gunther, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, spoke up. “Prime Minister, I think it would be appropriate to suggest that the Cabinet have a look at the wording of the motion before it is taken to the leaders of the other parties. While I am quite sure that what you and the Minister of Justice put together will be satisfactory, I think it would give the motion added weight if it carried the approval of the entire Cabinet.”
The Prime Minister thought for a moment and then said, “All right, Otto. Once Ken and I have settled the draft and before it goes to the other parties, copies will be delivered to each of you with instructions that your comments will have to be back in Ken’s hands within an hour.
“The final thing that we have to discuss at this point is the list of speakers from our party during the debate on the motion. The number of speakers in each party will be in proportion to the number of seats held in the House. There will be eleven from our party. According to the plan agreed on with the other parties each speaker, apart from the party leaders, will have ten minutes.
“I suggest that James Campbell, as House Leader, be responsible for organizing the speakers for our party.
“Jim, you might want to consider asking all the members who wish to speak to let you know by a certain time. After that, the choice can be made by lot. This may be an unusual approach, but it will be a fair one under the circumstances.
“Now, gentlemen, I’ve been doing a lot of talking and you’ve been doing a lot of listening. Do you have any comments on the course of action I’ve outlined?”
As he was asking this question, Tom Scott entered the room and handed the Prime Minister a note. Porter scanned it briefly and nodded to Scott, who left the room.
Silence had greeted the Prime Minister’s invitation to comment.
Gendron of External Affairs broke in. “Obviously, Prime Minister, the fact that there are no questions indicates general agreement with the steps you have proposed. Might I suggest that if any of us do have comments or questions we get in touch with Tom Scott. He can pass anything straight on to you if required.”
“Thank you, Bob. That’s a good suggestion.”
“Well, there’s one thing that bothers me, Prime Minister.” It was Otto Gunther from Newfoundland again, Robert Porter’s main competitor at the leadership convention eight weeks before. Gunther’s defeat by Porter still rankled. After all, he was an older, more experienced and senior member of the party, and as far as he was concerned Porter was only a johnny-come-lately. “What I don’t understand is that you haven’t given us any indication of what you think about this ultimatum. It’s all very well to say that you want to wait until you’ve heard the briefing and the debate, but I don’t think that’s good enough. We’re in a difficult situation and you ought to exercise some leadership and give the country some direction.”
Porter smiled a tight, hard smile. “I suppose what you’re saying, Otto, is that if you were the Prime Minister you’d be telling us where to go.”
“You’re damn right I would. The leader of this country has to be prepared to show where he stands, not wait for somebody else to make up his mind in a debate.” Otto Gunther returned the smile, but he meant what he said.
Porter nodded. “I understand your point of view, but I must say I don’t agree with it. I feel very strongly that I should stand by my intention of hearing and considering every opinion and every factor before I state my position.
“Now, gentlemen, if there are no other comments, I have one final thing. In my television talk I spoke about the importance of keeping calm and unemotional. May I suggest that when you are talking with the press you make no derogatory remarks about the United States, the President, or the action they are taking. Anything you or I say at this time which is inflammatory can only serve to harm the interests of Canada, and severely damage our ability to negotiate.
“I have just received word that the Governor-General has arrived from Victoria. I want to see him as soon as possible, so I will leave the meeting in the hands of the Minister for External Affairs. Thank you.”
Neither Robert Porter nor John Thomas spoke as they walked quickly back to the Prime Minister’s office. There Porter called his secretary and instructed her to have his car ready and standing by in front of the East Block. Then he asked Tom Scott to phone Government House and find out whether His Excellency could receive him in about twenty minutes.
Scott replied, “I’ll do that right away, sir, but first I should tell you that the Chief of the Defence Staff called about two minutes ago and said that he had information he wanted to pass on to you personally.”
“O.K., have somebody get him on the line for me as soon as possible.”
As he turned away from the intercom, Thomas said, “I don’t know about you, Bob, but I’m