Date: July 30, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
(Original document available here)
In Canada the Liberal party has lost control of the government in the recent election, and the Conservative party will have a clear working majority in the incoming parliament.
Two elements contributed to this result. The first was business depression, which usually works against the party in power. Many wage earners were out of work. The price of agricultural products was low. Therefore, both the laborers and the farmers turned to the opposition party. The second was a resurgence of the national spirit, The Canadians voted to put Canada above the empire. They are for a tariff that will protect their own domestic interests. While their economic ties with the empire are weakened, probably, their political ties are unimpaired.
Our investments in Canada run into billions of dollars. Whatever will make the Dominion prosperous would be welcomed by us. We have never directed our tariff policy at the Canadians and not expect they will direct theirs at us, but any general policy of protection to build up the country would in the end make them better customers for our goods. We can best deal with a country that maintains our standards of living.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Frank Harder who prepared this document for digital publication.