Canadian Ambassador in USA Protests McCarran Committee Raising Norman Name

DFAIT

Memorandum from Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs
to Secretary of State for External Affairs

CONFIDENTIAL
[Ottawa], August 17th, 1951

RE: McCARRAN COMMITTEE CHARGES

This afternoon I saw Mr. Bliss, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires, to inform him of the very serious view taken by the Canadian government of the continuing references to Canadian officials in the proceedings of the Senate sub-Committee on Internal Security and of our inability to obtain, through the only channel open to us, viz the State Department, the name or names and the alleged charges. As Mr. Bliss was aware, we had been surprised and annoyed at the proceedings of the Committee when Norman's reputation was impugned. We were now being put in an impossible position and we hoped that the State Department were doing everything possible to obtain for us the information we had requested.

Mr. Bliss told me that the State Department were bending every effort to obtain the information we had requested. They also took a serious view of the Committee's proceedings, but were powerless. He said that the State Department had given high priority to this matter and hoped to be able to report something to us later this afternoon.

Finally, I pointed out that a leak in Washington had forced the Minister to make a statement in respect of Norman. We would have to make a further statement to the press unless the matter could be cleared up very promptly. Newspaper comment right across Canada indicated the indignation felt by Canadians at the treatment accorded trusted servants of the Canadian government. Canadians could not understand why the U.S. government could do nothing to put a stop to these activities.

A.D.P. H[EENEY]