Ultimatum (novel)
Encyclopedia
Ultimatum is a 1974 novel by Richard Rohmer
with political, economic, energy crisis
themes as well as an opinion by the author of the viability of the Canadian nation.
The novel is set in the mid to late 1970s, after a change in government in Canada
that has put a new man into the post of prime minister
. Whether this change in government is a new leadership in the Liberal Party
or a change to the Progressive Conservative Party
is not indicated, but the third and fourth parties, the New Democratic Party
and the Social Credit Party
, are referred to by name, along with fictitious leaders for them and the opposition party.
The United States
president
is a Texan
.
The United States has just endured a particularly difficult winter due to the shortage of natural gas
, particularly in the northeast and the Midwest. The president is frustrated that vast reserves of natural gas have been identified in Canada's Arctic islands by American companies, but cannot be developed because Canada wants first to determine its requirements. In addition, a newly-completed Mackenzie Valley
pipeline is not yet operational because someone, possibly aggrieved First Nations
people, are bombing it.
The president telephones the Canadian prime minister, outlines the situation, says Canada really should have imitated the Alaskan native settlement of 1971 and come to a final agreement with its own native peoples. The president gives the prime minister an ultimatum: it has 48 hours to give the United States carte blanche access to the natural gas found by American companies, or economic sanctions
will be placed on Canada. Shortly after giving the ultimatum, the president embarks on Air Force One
to inspect the natural gas developments in the islands of the high Canadian arctic. His interest is in transport of gas, particularly by aircraft or pipeline.
The prime minister quickly summons his staff and cabinet to make the initial dealings, but the armed forces are used to get all members of Parliament
to Ottawa
as quickly as possible. A hasty schedule is set for briefings, then a debate and decision. The prime minister also calls upon a former law partner who is a leading resident among the First Nations in the Mackenzie Delta. It turns out this individual is the one who's been setting the bombs. The prime minister persuades him to disarm the latest bombs so as not to antagonize the Americans, but to come to Ottawa himself. The prime minister addresses the nation and invites Canadians to call their local radio or television station to cast a yes or no vote, which will be tallied and sent to Ottawa.
Meanwhile, Air Force One, with two Canadian fighter jets as escort, has passed over Churchill, Manitoba
to inspect an impressive deep sea port being built by the Canadian government, and then lands in Resolute, Northwest Territories
. A smaller plane takes the president to a gas development area where two experimental undersea gas pipelines have been installed and are ready for tests. One breaks its anchors, bursts through the sea ice and the president is barely yanked from the jaws of death, but the other experimental model works, showing it will be possible to put a pipeline between islands to reach the mainland.
The president addresses his nation from aboard Air Force One, although it is supposed to look like he's in Washington, D.C.
, and they even use a Canadian Anik satellite to get the signal to Washington.
On the day when the ultimatum is to be answered, the members of the House of Commons
and the Senate meet in the House for a briefing by key cabinet members. One issue that is addressed is for Canada to join OPEC
. A decision to negotiate a final settlement with the First Nations peoples is made, as well as improved autonomy for the two northern territories. Later in the day, Parliament is convened with a very brief speech from the throne, then the motion covering a response to the ultimatum is placed for debate, is debated, and the Parliamentarians vote to reject the ultimatum and offer an alternative to the United States. The Canadians who phoned in their votes also rejected the ultimatum.
The prime minister phones an angry president to advise him; the president is ready to step up the sanctions he had begun to impose the day before, but realizes how damaging they will be to both countries. He has to resort to an alternative that will spare the two nations that damage, but it means a major change for the Canadian nation.
Richard Rohmer
Major-General Richard Heath Rohmer, OC, CMM, DFC, O.Ont, KStJ, CD, OL, QC, JD, LLD . Canada's most decorated citizen, an aviator, a senior lawyer , adviser to business leaders and the Government of Ontario. He is a prolific writer as the bibliography below shows...
with political, economic, energy crisis
Energy crisis
An energy crisis is any great bottleneck in the supply of energy resources to an economy. In popular literature though, it often refers to one of the energy sources used at a certain time and place, particularly those that supply national electricity grids or serve as fuel for vehicles...
themes as well as an opinion by the author of the viability of the Canadian nation.
The novel is set in the mid to late 1970s, after a change in government in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
that has put a new man into the post of prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. Whether this change in government is a new leadership in the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
or a change to the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
is not indicated, but the third and fourth parties, the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
and the Social Credit Party
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
, are referred to by name, along with fictitious leaders for them and the opposition party.
The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
is a Texan
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The United States has just endured a particularly difficult winter due to the shortage of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, particularly in the northeast and the Midwest. The president is frustrated that vast reserves of natural gas have been identified in Canada's Arctic islands by American companies, but cannot be developed because Canada wants first to determine its requirements. In addition, a newly-completed Mackenzie Valley
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
pipeline is not yet operational because someone, possibly aggrieved First Nations
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
people, are bombing it.
The president telephones the Canadian prime minister, outlines the situation, says Canada really should have imitated the Alaskan native settlement of 1971 and come to a final agreement with its own native peoples. The president gives the prime minister an ultimatum: it has 48 hours to give the United States carte blanche access to the natural gas found by American companies, or economic sanctions
Economic sanctions
Economic sanctions are domestic penalties applied by one country on another for a variety of reasons. Economic sanctions include, but are not limited to, tariffs, trade barriers, import duties, and import or export quotas...
will be placed on Canada. Shortly after giving the ultimatum, the president embarks on Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
to inspect the natural gas developments in the islands of the high Canadian arctic. His interest is in transport of gas, particularly by aircraft or pipeline.
The prime minister quickly summons his staff and cabinet to make the initial dealings, but the armed forces are used to get all members of Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
as quickly as possible. A hasty schedule is set for briefings, then a debate and decision. The prime minister also calls upon a former law partner who is a leading resident among the First Nations in the Mackenzie Delta. It turns out this individual is the one who's been setting the bombs. The prime minister persuades him to disarm the latest bombs so as not to antagonize the Americans, but to come to Ottawa himself. The prime minister addresses the nation and invites Canadians to call their local radio or television station to cast a yes or no vote, which will be tallied and sent to Ottawa.
Meanwhile, Air Force One, with two Canadian fighter jets as escort, has passed over Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.-History:A variety of nomadic...
to inspect an impressive deep sea port being built by the Canadian government, and then lands in Resolute, Northwest Territories
Resolute, Nunavut
Resolute or Resolute Bay is a small Inuit hamlet on Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, Canada. It is situated at the northern end of Resolute Bay and the Northwest Passage and is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region....
. A smaller plane takes the president to a gas development area where two experimental undersea gas pipelines have been installed and are ready for tests. One breaks its anchors, bursts through the sea ice and the president is barely yanked from the jaws of death, but the other experimental model works, showing it will be possible to put a pipeline between islands to reach the mainland.
The president addresses his nation from aboard Air Force One, although it is supposed to look like he's in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and they even use a Canadian Anik satellite to get the signal to Washington.
On the day when the ultimatum is to be answered, the members of the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
and the Senate meet in the House for a briefing by key cabinet members. One issue that is addressed is for Canada to join OPEC
OPEC
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
. A decision to negotiate a final settlement with the First Nations peoples is made, as well as improved autonomy for the two northern territories. Later in the day, Parliament is convened with a very brief speech from the throne, then the motion covering a response to the ultimatum is placed for debate, is debated, and the Parliamentarians vote to reject the ultimatum and offer an alternative to the United States. The Canadians who phoned in their votes also rejected the ultimatum.
The prime minister phones an angry president to advise him; the president is ready to step up the sanctions he had begun to impose the day before, but realizes how damaging they will be to both countries. He has to resort to an alternative that will spare the two nations that damage, but it means a major change for the Canadian nation.