a.m., EDT
As the three party leaders left his office, the Prime Minister motioned to Senator Thomas to stay. He went back to his desk, pushed the intercom button for his secretary, and asked, “Have you any messages I should know about?”
“No, Prime Minister, but I can tell you that Mr. Scott has been on the phone constantly, with people calling and trying to find out what’s been going on.”
“I’ll bet he has. Tell me the names of the people who’ve turned up from the press.”
“Peter Forbes, President of the National Press Gallery is here. You know him, Prime Minister. And the Executive Vice-President of the CBC, James Laing, came. He’s agreed also to represent CTV and Global, so there are just these two gentlemen.”
“Would you ask them to come in, please.”
The Prime Minister turned to Senator Thomas. “We can have a few words when these people leave, John.”
From the chair in the corner of the room which was to be his listening post, Thomas replied, with a wry smile, “Bob, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
The Prime Minister moved toward the main entrance door to greet Forbes and Laing as they entered the office.
“Peter, good to see you, and you, Jim. Have you people met Senator John Thomas? I’ve asked Senator Thomas to sit in on all the meetings I will be having in the next few hours so he can assist me in keeping some balance and perspective as well as give me advice.”
When they were seated, the Prime Minister gave them a rapid-fire rundown on the President’s ultimatum, the action he had already taken, and the plans to recall Parliament, bring in the premiers, carry out the major briefing the next morning, and convene the House and Senate during the afternoon.
Peter Forbes was almost beside himself with excitement. When the Prime Minister completed his explanation of the situation, Forbes practically shouted, “This is a fantastic story. Good God, I’ve got to get to my paper fast!” He looked around the room as if he were trying to figure out the quickest exit.
“Now wait a minute, Peter,” Porter said calmly. “That’s the real reason I want to talk with you and Jim. This might be the story of your lifetime, but it’s also the worst and most disastrous crisis this country has had to face outside wartime. You people are in highly responsible positions, and you’ll be among the first to recognize that if this story goes rocketing off, there could well be panic across Canada. I don’t want that to happen, and I’m sure you don’t either. So what I want to talk to you about is how the press can help control the situation.”
James Laing put in cautiously, “What do you have in mind, sir?”
“I guess what I have in mind is something that really can’t be done.” The Prime Minister turned away from the two men facing him and looked out the window as he thought the question over. “What I really would like to see is a conscious effort by the press, TV and radio people to play this situation down. I don’t want the newspapers to have four-inch headlines saying, ‘Crisis Canada’ or ‘U.S. Ultimatum.’ I don’t want the television and radio programs to be interrupted with emergency bulletins. I would like to see a sort of normal, everyday reporting of the U.S. proposals and how we are dealing with them, just as if we had a routine situation on our hands. I’m not suggesting for one moment that the facts be suppressed or that the news be controlled. My concern is that the people of Canada should not be panicked.”
Forbes, a peppery, excitable little fellow, the senior Ottawa Hill reporter with one of the Montreal papers, took the stance Porter had expected. In a rather hostile voice he said, “Are you suggesting, sir, that the press in this country are irresponsible or that we would deliberately go out of our way to over-emphasize the importance of this story just to sell newspapers? The press has always treated you fairly, Prime Minister, and I don’t see why you think.…”
The Prime Minister broke in. “I’m not making any such suggestion, Peter, but what I do recognize is that there are human beings running the newspapers and the newsrooms and television stations across this country. How they react to this whole situation will largely dictate how they will print the story.
“Let me lay the thing right on the table for you. I am very much afraid that there will be a strong and possibly violent anti-American reaction among the people of Canada, especially among those who live close to the American border. The last thing I want is to see the people of this country worked up to such a state that some foolish acts of reprisal will be taken against American citizens in Canada by wild-eyed nationalistic Canadians whose emotional juices are turned on, not only by the ultimatum itself, but by inflammatory reporting.”
Laing raised a calming hand toward Peter Forbes and said to the Prime Minister, “I see your point, sir. What you say about reaction by the Canadian people is probably quite true. The last thing in the world I would want to see would be some act of violence against American nationals. That would set up a valid reason in the President’s mind for some sort of reprisal, perhaps even military action, against Canada. Maybe that’s just what he’d like to see at this time, and it’s exactly the sort of thing that might happen, not only between now and tomorrow night but for some time after that.” Laing hesitated. “But the problem is, sir, that I don’t know what can be done about it.”
“I agree, Prime Minister,” said Forbes. “But how can I, or anyone in the Press Gallery, for that matter, convince his editor to play it cool? Frankly, sir, I don’t think there’s a hope in hell that you can keep the lid on this.”
Senator John Thomas’ voice rumbled from the corner, startling all three of them. “Prime Minister, I wonder if you might permit me to put in a word.”
“Sure, John, please do.”
“Well, it seems to me that there’s only one person in Canada who can explain the situation to the people and make them see matters in the proper light, and that’s you.
“I suggest that rather than place the burden upon Mr. Laing and Mr. Forbes or their colleagues, you take the matter before the whole country. I think you should appear on national television some time later today and make a statement to the nation. You should outline the seriousness of the situation and directly suggest to the press, radio and TV people that every effort should be made to keep all the facts in perspective, that the American position in the energy crisis should be understood, and that typical Canadian calmness and coolness should prevail.”
Laing nodded his head in agreement. “I think that’s an excellent idea, Prime Minister. The CBC will clear its national TV network for you at any time, and I know CTV and Global will do the same. In fact, I would be pleased to speak to them for you if you wish.”
The Prime Minister turned to Forbes. “What do you think, Peter?”
“Sounds good to me, sir, but I suggest that you get something out to the public as quickly as possible.”
“All right, then. I’ll need some time to prepare a statement. What about nine o’clock this evening? Could you clear half an hour at that time for me, Jim?”
Laing replied, “No problem, sir, but is there any possibility of your doing it earlier?”
“I don’t think so. There’s just too much to be done. However, I think I can put together a press release, although there isn’t time for a press conference now. You can alert your people that a release will be made in half an hour. In the meantime, I’d like both of you to keep this discussion
