HC Deb 10 July 1969 vol 786 cc1566-7
Q1. Mr. Ogden

asked the Prime Minister if he will invite the Prime Minister of Canada to make an official visit to the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

There are no plans at present for a further visit by Mr. Trudeau in the near future but I had useful talks with him when he visited Chequers for the weekend before the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Meeting in January.

Mr. Ogden

Is it correct that the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary is to visit Canada? Will he take the opportunity of repeating the Government's invitation to the Prime Minister of Canada to come here? Would it be possible during such a visit for information to be passed to the Canadian Government, publicly or privately, about the concern felt in many parts of the United Kingdom for the condition of the Mohawk nation and the responsibility we may still have for that part of the country?

The Prime Minister

It is true that my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary is to visit Canada in a few weeks' time. I understand the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary Question to relate to the condition of the Canadian Indians. These matters were regulated by the Treaty of 1794 and it is clear that from the time of Canadian independence all Britain's obligations in respect of the Canadian Indians passed to the sovereign independent country of Canada.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

When the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary goes to Canada, will he take the opportunity to discuss the persistently adverse balance of trade which we have with that country? This is one of the great questions in our economic difficulties at present.

The Prime Minister

We usually discuss trade matters when any of us goes to Canada, although it is my recollection, for what it is worth in this matter, that we have had an adverse balance of trade with Canada since long before the war. There has always been this situation because of our very large imports of food from there, and before the war it was compensated for by the surplus with the United States which came from sterling area shipments. But there is certainly a problem, hence the great export drive to Canada.