Pearkes, George Randolph: my political recollections (April 7, 1970)

Rank: Major-General. Medals and Honours: Victoria Cross (VC); Order of Canada (CC); Companion of the Bath (CB); Distinguished Service Order (DSO); Military Cross (MC); Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)

ABSTRACT: Maj-Gen G.R. Pearkes, interviewed by Dr. J.L. Granatstein, 7 April 1970. 57pp. Pearkes gives reasons for entering politics as a Conservative. Supporter of John Diefenbaker (1948). Minister of National Defence. Defence Committee. NORAD agreement. Relationship to NATO. Financial difficulties in the Department. The Avro Arrow controversy; a very costly aircraft. Nuclear warheads required for the Bomarc missile system. Some anti-American feeling in Cabinet. Feels that the government did not fully realize the commitment to nuclear weapons in NATO. Acquisition of the CF 104 fighter. Honest John missiles. Use of nuclear weapons in Europe. Peacekeeping in the Congo and elsewhere. National Survival programme. Personal opinion of Gen. McNaughton as a commander. Speaks of E. Davie Fulton. Howard Green (External Affairs). Columbia River Treaty. Feels that the Diefenbaker Government did well until 1960.

An interview/narrative of George Randolph Pearkes's political recollections. Major-General Pearkes, V.C., C.C., C.B., D.S.O., M.C., C.D. was a Canadian politician, soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Interview took place on April 7, 1970.

Interviewee: Pearkes, George Randolph, 1888-1984

Interviewer: Granatstein, J. L.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Granatstein, J. L.
• Pearkes, G. R. (George Randolph), 1888-1984

Subject

• North American Aerospace Defense Command
• Pearkes, G. R. (George Randolph), 1888-1984
• Military history

Language

• eng

Date created

• April 7, 1970

Relation

• Part of the Social Sciences Research Centre collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Text

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 1 transcript (57 pages)

Geographic coverage

• British Columbia--Victoria

Coordinates

• 48.4359, -123.35155

Additional physical characteristics

• No audio recording held.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• reminiscences
• transcripts
• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews

Archival item identifier

• PGR_235

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Technical note

• Technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. WWI Migration metadata by KD and MT. PDF. Technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/wd5n-b015

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