Office of the Historian

447. Telegram From the Embassy in Canada to the Department of State0

Ottawa, April 15, 1963, 6 p.m.

1327. Of course I accept the decision contained in the Department’s telegram 1033 of April 12 regarding the forged letter,1 although I think it is mistaken. However, what concerns me more is lest this be an indication that the Department is reverting to its old ways of treating Canada like a problem child for whom there was always at the ready a cheek for the turning.

The Department had the temerity to act (in substance though not in form) on the recommendations contained in my telegram 949 of January 27,2 with the beneficial results predicted in my telegram 990 of February 3,3 [4 lines of source text not declassified]. In the process, a somewhat more mature Canada has emerged from the electoral crucible and a measure of its neuroses has been exorcised.

I do hope that in future we will deal with Canada with considered care and courtesy but in a more normal, matter-of-fact manner, and with due regard to the importance of obtaining quids for quos.

Butterworth
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, Pol Can-US. Confidential; Limited Distribution.↩
  2. In telegram 1317 from Ottawa, April 11, Butterworth had repeated a recommendation that the United States pursue the matter of a forged letter from him to Pearson that had appeared during the election campaign. (Ibid.) In telegram 1033 to Ottawa, April 12, Butterworth was informed that while Washington appreciated the reasons for investigating the letter, it believed it was better to let the matter rest and accent the positive factors in relations with Canada. (Ibid.)↩
  3. See footnote 2, Document 445.↩
  4. Document 445.↩