10 August, 1961
Mr IM Mackinnon,
Assistant General Manager,
Crown Assets Disposal Corporation,
Trade and Commerce Building,
Ottawa.
Dear Sir;
Under United States Diplomatic Note 546 of April 1, 1961, and the Canadian reply dated May 4, 1961, the United States advised and Canada concurred in a proposal for the inactivation of gap filler radars at Elliston Ridge, Fox Harbour, La Scie, Cut Throat Island, Spotted Island, and Cape Makkovik. Reference was also made to the reduction of operations at aircraft control and warning sites at Baffin Island and Resolution Island to communications functions only. The notification also involved the inactivation of the Redclieff aircraft control and warning site.
Following the cancellation of the Canada-US exchange of notes dated August 1, 1951, and June 13, 1955, governing the disposal of US surpluses in Canada and the introduction of the new exchange of notes which have been under draft for some time, the USAF are faced with the problem of disposing of equipment and materiel associated with the facilities referred to above, which are in the main located in areas in which it will be difficult to exercise security control and at which they do not plan in retaining personnel.
The USAF in a letter dated August 7, 1961, a copy of which is attached, refer to the question of the disposal of the material. The interest of this Department in the buildings and the USAF material which they do not propose removing from the sites is now being examined in order to establish the items that we may be interested in. Following this examination, other interested departments will have to be canvassed. These actions are being taken in order to determine those items that would have to be disposed of through your Corporation.
The USAF have furnished the attached lists in order to facilitiate the examination by this and other Canadian departments and I am forwarding copies of them to you at this time so that you may be aware of the action being taken by the USAF and this Department and also of the USAF intention not to repatriate the equipment referred to in these lists.
You will be advised of the interest of this Department and any other departments in the material on the attached lists and so that the Department of National Revenue may also be aware of the action being taken, I am forwarding to them a copy of this letter, the letter from the USAF dated August 7, 1961, and lists of material.
Yours sincerely,
(RG MacNeill)
Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance)
Encl