VISIT TO US, CANADA AND UK
OTTAW~ A, CANADA
RESPONSE BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. HAROLD HOLT
TO THE OFFICI AL WELCOME BY THE PRIME MINISTER
OF CANADA 4th JUNE~, 1967
Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Pearson, distinguished members of the
Diplomatic Corps, ladies and gentlemen.
It is a very great personal pleasure for Mrs. Holt and myself, and a
privilege in which my Government and my countrymen share, to be with you on
a period of your national history which has such significance for you.
This is my second visit to your country and I regret the interval which
has elapsed since I was last here. But that also was an occasion of some historic
significance for Canada. It was the year 1952, in which In this distinctive
Parliament building you were host to the Parliaments of the Commonwealth
through the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. It was my great honour
to be Chairman of that notable conference. I have long, wished since then to be
able to see something more of your country and to meet more closely with your
people. Although I had heard and read much of the great economic and cultural
development which had occurred over the years, I confess to still experiencing
some surprise at the remarkable growth which has occurred in this capital city
of yours, at seeing how imaginatively you have developed your architecture and
the beautification of the city. This I believe symbolizes the notable growth which
has been occurring throughout Canada, strengthening your economy and making
you a more significant member country of the United Nations.
Your contribution there, of course and this has been particularly
marked during the period of office of your distinguished Prime Minister has
been influential well beyond the numbers of your people. Vie like to think that
as you, with populations that are not large as world populations are marked
these days and as the populations of many other countries can demonstrate, that
we do have a performance out of relation to our numbers and even an influence
going well beyond our numerical strength and I welcomed very warmly, Mr.
Prime Minister, the things that you have said in your short but very meaningful
speech here this afternoon of the desirability of the closeness of our two countries,
which have so much in common, which have built a friendship in the comradeship
of war and in the pursuits of peace, in the growth of trade between our two
nations. Vblth so much in common, if we pursue them as closely as we can, our
policies together can make a contribution growing in significance with the years
ahead of us. You and I have already talked of this in an informal way. I hope
that in the years ahead, not only as our populations increase and our economic
strength develops, but as our own contribution to a peaceful and progressing
world is enhanced, that our discussions together, the better knowledge we shall
I hope develop of each other, will contribute more significantly to the peace,
to the progress and the prosperity of the world.
You have spoken of our participation in EXPO ' 67. It has not been in
the Australian tradition to take part in these great international expositions.
Wie have felt that we could make a more significant contribution in relation 2/
to our own national situation if we took part by ourselves from time to time
in the expositions of individual countries. But when we took into account the
significance for Canada, our historic Commonwealth partner, in the
celebration of its centennial, then we came unhesitatingly to the conclusion
that Australia should be there. And it gratifies us indeed, Mr. Prime Minister,
to feel that you have judged our contribution to be a worthy one.
Certainly the attendances already have more than flattered our
expectations and we hope that this experience will continue throughout the
period of the Exposition. As to the talking chairs, I must confess that while
at one time rabbits were regarded as the principal plague in Australia, there
are fellow countrymen of mine who think that talking politicians now rank in
the same category and it is perhaps not without some appropriateness that,
as you recline in a comfortable chair in the Australian pavilion, one of our
more notable citizens, sometimes in the political field but I hope more
frequently in other fields of science or culture, will address you on some
matter of national moment.
You were good enough to say that we had established some degree of
international supremacy in the fields of tennis and swimming. ' We hope to
maintain that. But being an ambitious people, we think that before the year is
out we may have chalked up another notable gain by taking for the first time in
its history, I believe, the Americas Cup back from that country to Australia.
If we can get it there, I think our American friends and allies will find it even
more difficult to regain outside the Heads of Sydney Harbour than the Davis
Cup on one of our tennis arenas.
However, I am sure that, despite the friendship you have with your
great neighbour, you will be wishing us well. We smaller countries always
like to see the other tackle the bigger fellow and succeed. It is a commendable
ambition and one in which I am sure we shall have your good wishes.
Now I don't want to add another chapter to the record of long-talking
Australian politicians by abusing your patience on this warm afternoon. Your
record for hospitality has been evidenced again today in that, after a period
of cool weather, you have turned on a sunny Australian day with a temperature
that must be very uncomfortable for that handsome guard I have just had the
honour to inspect. And so I must not detain you at length.
But thank you again for the warmth of your welcome to Mrs. Holt and
myself and our party representing as we do in your eyes the Australian
Government and people. We are greatly looking forward to the remainder of
our stay with you and we are delighted to have an opportunity of contributing
by our presence to the success of the ambitious and imaginative project which
you are so successfully carrying out.
Long, may Canada prosper, long may it strengthen in its influence
and its economy, long may the friendship between our two countries be
successfully sustained.