1973 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

2nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Host country|  Canada
Dates| 2–10 August 1973
Venue(s)| Mont-Tremblant
Cities| Ottawa
Participants| 33 (of 33 members)
Heads of State or Government| 24
Chair| Pierre Trudeau
(Prime Minister)
Follows| 1971
Precedes| 1975
Key points

Commonwealth Youth Programme
Nuclear weapons testing
Rhodesia
International trade
European Economic Community relations with the developing world

Canadian postage stamp commemorating the 1973 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting

The 1973 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, officially known as the II Commonwealth Heads Meeting, and commonly known as Ottawa 1973, was the second Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held from 2 to 10 August 1973 in Ottawa, hosted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. It was the first CHOGM to be attended by the Head of the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II.

The summit issued a Statement on Nuclear Weapon Tests that affirmed "the unfailing support of Commonwealth governments for the international Treaty banning nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water. It appeals, furthermore, to the international community for a total ban on nuclear weapon tests in any environment."[1] Also discussed were changing relationships among United States, the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, regional security, disarmament, the situation in the Middle East and South East Asia (i.e., the Vietnam War), the proposed creation of a peace zone in the Indian Ocean and the situation in Southern Africa and in particular Rhodesia's white minority rule government. Also discussed was the desirability of a worldwide expansion of trade through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and negotiations between the European Economic Community and developing countries.[2]

Besides the policy topics discussed, the CHOGM saw a number of incidental, but lasting, innovations that helped define the work of the Commonwealth. The leaders held a private session in Mont-Tremblant, beginning the tradition of the 'retreat', whereby, in addition to the executive sessions, the heads of government leave the host city, taking only their spouses and one advisor each, to be isolated from outside influences and to discuss on less formal terms.[3]

The Commonwealth flag emerged from pennants that were designed to be displayed on the leaders' cars in Ottawa. Designed by Trudeau and Commonwealth Secretary-General Arnold Smith (a fellow Canadian), the flag was officially adopted three years later, on 26 March 1976.[4] Although the Royal Commonwealth Society petitioned the CHOGM to discuss creating a uniformly-observed Commonwealth Day, this would eventually be discussed, at the proposal of the Canadian delegation, at the 1975 Meeting, and the Canadian proposals adopted.[5]

Queen Elizabeth did not attend the first CHOGM conference in 1971, and was advised against attending the 1973 conference by British prime minister Edward Heath.[6] Elizabeth II did attend the 1973 conference on the advice of Prime Minister Trudeau. She would attend all subsequent CHOGMs until absenting herself in 2013 when she began to refrain from long distance travel.

This was the first meeting in which The Bahamas and Bangladesh Participated.

## Participants

[edit]

The following nations were represented:[7]

Nation  | Name  | Position

|
|

Canada | Pierre Trudeau (Chairman)  | Prime Minister
Australia | Gough Whitlam | Prime Minister
Bahamas | Lynden Pindling | Prime Minister
Bangladesh | Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | Prime Minister
Barbados | Errol Barrow | Prime Minister
Botswana | Sir Seretse Khama | President
Cyprus | Ioannis Christophides | Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fiji | Sir Kamisese Mara | Prime Minister
The Gambia | Assan Musa Camara | Vice President
Ghana | Napoleon Ashley-Lassen | Member of the National Redemption Council and Chief of Defence Staff
Guyana | Forbes Burnham | Prime Minister
India | Swaran Singh | Minister of External Affairs
Jamaica | Michael Manley | Prime Minister
Kenya | Daniel arap Moi | Vice President
Lesotho | Leabua Jonathan | Prime Minister
Malawi | John Msonthi | Minister of Education
Malaysia | Abdul Razak Hussein | Prime Minister
Malta | Dom Mintoff | Prime Minister
Mauritius | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam | Prime Minister
New Zealand | Norman Kirk | Prime Minister
Nigeria | Yakubu Gowon | Head of the Federal Military Government and Commander-in-Chief
Sierra Leone | Siaka Stevens | President
Sri Lanka | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Prime Minister
Singapore | Lee Kuan Yew | Prime Minister
Swaziland | Makhosini Dlamini | Prime Minister
Tanzania | Julius Nyerere | President
Tonga | Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake | Prime Minister
Trinidad and Tobago | Francis Prevatt  | Minister of Petroleum and Mines
Uganda | Paul Etiang | Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
United Kingdom | Edward Heath | Prime Minister
Western Samoa | Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II | Prime Minister
Zambia | Mainza Chona | Vice-President

## Footnotes

[edit]

1. ^ "Statements and Declarations". Commonwealth Network. Retrieved 20 Jan 2016.
2. ^ The Commonwealth at the Summit: Communiqués of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, 1944-1986, issued by the Commonwealth Secretariat, 1987.
3. ^ Ingram, Derek (October 2007). "Twenty Commonwealth steps from Singapore to Kampala". The Round Table. 96 (392): 555–563\. doi:10.1080/00358530701625877. S2CID 154737836.
4. ^ Thomas, Dean (2004-03-31). "Commonwealth of Nations". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
5. ^ "Jour du Commonwealth". Department of Canadian Heritage. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
6. ^ "Only the Queen understands the true value of the Commonwealth". Daily Telegraph. 27 December 2013.
7. ^ "MEETING OF COMMONWEALTH PRIME MINISTERS, 1973 - FINAL COMMUNIQUE", Commonwealth Library

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