Friday, September 3, 2010

1961 Resources For Tomorrow Conference

Prime Minister John Diefenbaker's federal government held a resource conference in Montreal from October 23-26, 1961. The "Resources for Tomorrow" (R.F.T.) conference was attended by 800 individuals from all walks of life, including various levels of government, universities and industry.

According to the R.T.F. Conference public information brochure:

The R.F.T. conference was not intended to discuss "protection" in the sense of locking up the resources, protecting them from use, or hedging their use with so many safe-guards and restrictions that it is impossible to use them sensibly. Although protection will not be neglected, this is not the keynote of the discussion. The emphasis will be on improved use of resources; use so planned as to satisfy the increasing needs of the rising generation and ensure the welfare of generations yet unborn.

On November 2,1961, Alvin Hamilton, Minister of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources, provided this impression of the conference in a letter to Prime Minister Diefenbaker:

I was amazed at the enthusiasm generated at the conference. Obviously you have struck a responsive chord in calling for a conference of this kind. We had expected to keep the number of participants to 600, Because of the pressure of demand, 700 had to be accommodated in the workshops. Actually, another 100 turned up without invitation and had to be squeezed into the program.


The Resources for Tomorrow commemorative stamp was issued on October 12, 1961.

Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Philip Weiss Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Alan Pollock Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada
Watercolour


National Archives of Canada
Approved Model


























 First Day Covers



































 








Slogan Cancellation

A slogan cancellation publicizing the Resources for Tomorrow Conference was used at several post offices.





Montreal October 23, 1961
First Day of Conference held in Montreal



Usages

Domestic Forward Letter


Orillia to Kitchener, November 21, 1961
5 cents forward letter rate


Air Mail Letter to the United States


Montreal to Philadelphia, November 7, 1961
7 cents air mail letter rate to the United States


Surface Letter to Great Britain


Lunenburg to London, November 28, 1961
5 cents surface letter rate to Great Britain + 10 cents special delivery fee

Returned to sender "Incorrectly Addressed"


International Air Mail


Port Colborne to Braunschweig West Germany, November 11, 1961
15 cents air mail rate to Europe


Addendum

Documents from the Diefenbaker Canada Centre Archives: