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Ottawa / 9:10 a.m., EDT

The Prime Minister put the receiver down. His face was white with anger and astonishment. He reached for the intercom and punched the button for his chief executive assistant.

Tom Scott responded immediately. “Yes, sir.”

“Tom, get in here fast, and alert your entire staff to stand by. We’ve got real trouble on our hands.”

Scott burst into the office. The Prime Minister motioned for him to sit down.

“Tom, I’ve just had a telephone call from the President of the United States, and this is what he said. …”

When he had finished, all Scott could say was, “Good God! He must be crazy.”

“No. He means business. He meant exactly what he said.

“Tom, get Mike and Tony in here. I want them to sit in a corner, take notes, and keep quiet. Also, I want your two best secretaries. Before you bring them in they must swear not to say a word to anybody about what is going on. They’re going to have to know exactly what is in my mind up to a point, and I don’t want any leaks. Nothing is to be said unless I authorize it.

“Also, have someone phone the cabinet ministers most closely concerned — that would be Energy, Northern Development, External Affairs, Defence, Environment, Transport and Finance. Ask them if they could be here with their deputies in twenty minutes. And advise the Leader of the Opposition and the leaders of the other two parties that I would be obliged if they would meet with me on a matter of urgent national importance one hour from now, at 10:15. Tell each of them, Tom, that I have invited the others to attend, so they’ll know they’re not alone. I’ll see the leaders here and the ministers in the Cabinet Room.”

As Tom turned to go, he muttered, “Christ, he can’t do this to us!”

The Prime Minister heard him. “Sure he can and he is. Furthermore, I can see why. I have enormous sympathy for him in the position he’s in and for the thousands of Americans who are going to suffer this winter. But that doesn’t make it any easier for us.”

The Prime Minister turned to look out the window of his East Block office across Parliament Hill,

Robert Porter was new to the office of Prime Minister, but he had already established himself as a strong, forceful leader who had brought to his election campaign imaginative national goals with which almost all Canadians could personally identify. One of his main objectives was that the people of Canada should own all the crude oil and gas and all the exploration leasing rights for the natural resources in the Canadian Arctic. In Porter’s view, the existing system under which foreign exploration firms were able to pick up drilling rights for between five and twenty cents an acre and pay royalties of only five to ten per cent on the well-head price when the oil and gas was finally found, left Canada with a “pittance” and put the ownership of control in foreign hands. Under Porter’s program, control of the development in the Arctic would remain in Canadian hands, and the yearly revenue from the sale of gas and oil from the Arctic Islands and the Mackenzie Delta, which could eventually range as high as $40-billion, would produce profits which could be used to reduce personal taxation and increase the standard of medical and other social services. Now it was clear that he was faced with a crisis which could threaten his whole program and require all his skills as a leader.

“Sir, we’re ready.”

It was Tom Scott, with his two young staff men and the secretaries.

The Prime Minister turned away from the window and repeated to the group what he had already told Scott, outlining the President’s position.

“The reason I have brought you all in is this: I want to set out the course of action we must take within the next few hours so that a decision can be made on the ultimatum. Since you, Mike and Tony, will be working directly under Tom, I thought it was best that you should hear my instructions. Marie, I want you and Louise to take down what I say so that we’ll have a record. I asked for both of you because, as you know, I sometimes speak rather quickly and I don’t want to be interrupted. What I say will also be tape-recorded, so that you can double-check.

“Now Tom, there’s no question in my mind that the House will have to be reconvened at once. The response to the ultimatum will have to come by a decision of Parliament on a free vote.

“One of the major problems is to make sure that every member of the House and the Senate is fully briefed on the state of Canada’s relations with the United States and on the status of the oil and gas finds, as well as on the pipeline situation in the Mackenzie Valley Corridor. They must also be filled in on the specifics of the current energy shortage in the U.S., and what has been happening since the early 70’s.

“I want the premiers of each of the provinces informed as soon as possible, and I want them brought here to Ottawa immediately for consultation. When I decide on a course of action, I will have to clear with the Governor-General and also the Leader of the Opposition and the leaders of the other parties. I want their full concurrence and understanding so that we can work this thing out together.”

Tom Scott nodded. “The party leaders will be here at 10:15, sir. The Governor-General is on his way back from Victoria. I’ll leave word at Government House that you’re to be informed immediately on his arrival.”

“Good. I also want to meet with the leaders of the television and radio industry and the press, to see if I can get them to cool it. This situation will have to be handled carefully. I don’t want anyone to panic.

“Tomorrow’s agenda is even more important. It’s the key to the whole thing. I have to get the decision to the President before six o’clock. The House and the Senate must meet and there has to be a reasonable time for debate. But the most important thing I have to do is to make sure that everyone understands the background of this whole situation.

“So here’s what we’re going to do. I want a briefing organized for eight o’clock tomorrow morning in the Commons Chamber. You can set that up with the Speaker, Tom.

“The briefing will be for all members of the House, the Senate, the premiers who can get here, and anyone else we think appropriate. It will be given by the ministers and deputy ministers of the departments which have an interest in the North and in oil and gas — Energy, Mines and Resources; Indian Affairs and Northern Development; Environment; Transport; External Affairs; Defence — also Finance. I want the lead-off to be External Affairs. The briefing must be over by eleven o’clock, because I want the House and the Senate to meet at twelve noon. As it is, that only gives us five hours for debate — less, actually, because the motion will have to be put before the House and I’ll need half an hour at the end to close off. But we must be finished by five so that a vote can be taken in both houses before 5:30 and I can get back to the President with a decision by six.

“I’ll ask the Leader of the Opposition and the other party leaders to help me draft the motion. I think that it should be put forward by all of us jointly.”

Scott interjected, “Prime Minister, how in the hell are you going to sort out who’s to speak during the debate, how long people are going to take and that sort of thing, so you can get through in time?”

“I don’t see that as a real problem. The leaders are reasonable people, and I think the seriousness of the situation is such that we can set up a system that will be acceptable to all of them. Mind you, each of them is going to have to work out with his own people who is going to speak and for how long. That’s one of the understandings I’ll have to get from them when we meet, but I’m sure they’ll cooperate.

“For now the major effort is to get Parliament reconvened and every member back here as fast as possible, wherever he is.”

Porter turned to Mike Cranston. “Mike, I think you’d better get going. Phone the Chief of the Defence Staff immediately. Tell him to be prepared within an hour to divert all his Hercules transport aircraft to pick up members of the House and the Senate who are at places off the main airline routes. We’ll advise him as soon as possible where they’ll have to go.

“Would you also tell the president, or the top man you can find at Air Canada, Canadian Pacific, and the regional carriers, that seats should be cleared for all members of Parliament, senators, and people whom we provide with special priority ratings. Also tell them that we may require special flights to be made off schedule.

“Then get on to the executive assistants of the leaders of the other parties so that they can communicate with their members to get back here. Tell them to let you know where their people are so that they can be picked up if they’re off-route. And of course have someone get in touch with our own people.”

As Mike Cranston headed for the door, the Prime Minister flicked the intercom switch for his secretary.

“Joan, would you please call and speak to the presidents of the National Press Gallery, the CBC, CTV, and Global Television. Ask them if they or their senior representatives can be at this office within an hour. Tell them I have an emergency on my hands that I must speak to them about and get their advice. Say they may have to wait, and I hope they won’t mind. And find out exactly who will be coming.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Prime Minister turned back to Scott. “Tom, you’d better get on to the premiers now. I want them all here as quickly as possible. I guess the premiers from Ontario and Quebec won’t need any help from us, but those from the West and the Maritimes may have to be given a hand getting here. That includes the Commissioners from the Northwest Territories and the Yukon, of course. I’d like you to make every effort to get them here by six tonight, because I want them involved in this decision.”

Scott interjected, “What about the Cabinet, sir?”

“You’re quite right, I’ve got to get the whole Cabinet together as soon as possible after I’ve met with the key ministers. I should be clear of the press by 12:15, so I’ll call a Cabinet meeting for that time. Look after it, please.

“Now, one final thing. You’ve got a hell of a lot of work to do. We’re going to have to schedule everything down to the minute. As we work toward the briefing at eight o’clock tomorrow morning, I don’t want anyone to be talking to the press without my direct authority, and I want you to stay within shouting distance. Get in more staff if you need it.”

Scott was already on his way to the door. He paused long enough to say, “I’ll be here, sir. By the way, the press will be after you for a statement. What shall I tell them?”

“I don’t see a press conference as being possible. Really, there isn’t time. Anyway, I want to discuss that whole question with the news people when they’re here.”

When Scott and his assistants had left, Porter picked up the telephone and dialled a familiar number. In a moment he was through to John Thomas, a close and trusted friend whom he had appointed to the Senate.

“John, I’ve got real trouble. I’ve just had a call from the President of the United States. They’re forecasting an even worse energy shortage this winter than our experts had predicted. On top of that he’s really worried about the bombings along the Mackenzie pipeline. He’s dropped a real crusher on us. By six o’clock tomorrow night we have to agree to settle with the native people and get the bombings stopped. We must also give him free access to the natural gas in the Arctic Islands and the right to set up a transportation system to get it out.

“You said once that if ever I needed your personal counsel I was to let you know. Well, I need it now. I’d like you to drop everything and give me a hand until this whole thing is over with.

“I want you to sit in on all the meetings, listen and take notes. If something crosses your mind, scribble a message and pass it to me. I’m just going into the Cabinet Room now to meet my key ministers. If you could join me there as soon as possible I’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll be there in five minutes, Bob.”