Politics are almost as exciting as war, and – quite as dangerous… In war, you can only be killed once. But in politics many times.
(Winston Churchill)
The Churchillian machinations in Canada had not gone unnoticed in Great Britain – and had produced quite some anxieties. Canada – by far – was the most precious part of the British Empire, the inexhaustible source of resources and foodstuffs. – Losing India had – in truth – been a relief for the country, but losing Canada would mean that Great Britain was reduced to a medium sized island, rather poor in natural resources – except coal, off the European continent…
The USA had already established ‘special relationships’ with Australia and New Zealand; that they now were reaching out to Canada – with the help of that traitor Churchill – had to be considered a most unfriendly gesture. However, going to war – even over Canada – with the US was never considered an option. If this fatal development was to be stopped, the brakes had to be applied in Canada.
Unfortunately, the parties of the left did not play any role in the House of Commons in Ottawa. For the time being, the SUP-inspired and -affiliated labour union Workers’ Unity League was the most effective tool at hand for influencing the decisions of the Bennett government, while the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), which had only been founded in 1932, held no seat in the House or any provincial parliament. And the CCF leader, James S. Woodsworth, hardly was the man to create or exploit a revolutionary situation…
Prime Minister Mosley had already tasked the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, with neutralising Winston Churchill, but the man had been found to be well protected by the US FSO. Yet even if the attempt had been successful, one had to accept that Churchill was only the compliant mouthpiece of the McAdoo administration; his death would not have changed their policy – it only would have removed one more unsavoury character from the international political scene…
So, if anything was to be accomplished, one had to address William Lyon Mackenzie King, the leader of the Canadian Liberals. Mackenzie King had a history of trying to loosen the ties with Britain, but he also was a proponent of a Canada independent from US influence. Unfortunately, he was no friend of Sir Oswald Mosley and the British socialists. Therefore, Sir Oswald had to ask David Lloyd George, the opposition leader in the House, for his good services.
Lloyd George – by now aged seventy – was ready to travel to Ottawa, if certain liberal concerns were addressed in Britain. These encompassed release of all former capitalists still kept in work camps and general compensation for expropriation as well as strengthening the rights of individuals opposite the national controller organisation. After lengthy debate, the SUP cabinet agreed, and Lloyd George was on his way.
On December 15th, 1933, a first meeting between Lloyd George and Mackenzie King took place, leading to a series of further meetings – and eventually the involvement of Prime Minister Bennett. By Christmas, Lloyd George was back in London.
In his New Year address to the nation, Canadian Prime Minister Richard Bedford Bennett gave a definite countermand to all rumours that Canada desired to take over administration of Bermuda or any British colony in the Caribbean.
“We do not want to have anything to do with the administration of these territories. Canada is – after Russia – the second largest country in the world, and the largest country in the Americas. There is no need for us to seek rule over more territory. Canada is already large enough.”
It all had been very simple, Lloyd George had explained to Sir Oswald.
“Only thing I had to point out was that three quarters of the population of Bermuda are Negroes; and that Bermuda still has the highest percentage of white persons – compared to the other Caribbean colonies. – Since 1911, they have restricted black immigration, although they couldn’t completely prohibit border crossing from the USA. – Somehow, they had not taken into consideration that they would become responsible for a huge Negro and Mulatto population when they took over these colonies. This aspect immediately sobered them. – Churchill had sung the song of the English speaking white nations; he had said nothing about Negroes, a lot of Negroes…”
In Washington D.C., Winston Churchill imbibed another ample slug of brandy. Too bad that this fine attempt had failed… He wondered what had made Bennett change his mind. The man obviously was an idiot. Being offered colonies for free, and rejecting them. Well, he, Winston Churchill, would find another opportunity to bring Canada at the side of his generous hosts…