Official opening of the Trans-Canada Highway in Canada. A large crowd gathers at Rogers Pass in British Columbia for the opening ceremony of the Trans-Canada Highway. Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and other officials gathered for the ceremony. The highway is officially opened. Mountains in the background. Cars seen driving on the Trans-Canada Highway. View of the roadway, mountains and tunnels on the highway.
Canada National Exhibition Executive Office Building entrance with posters of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Ontario above the door. Canadian World War I Veterans from Goodyear Canada posing with the Canon-Scott trophy for best marching outfit. The veterans are among the WWI veterans marching at the Canada National Exhibtion in honor of Warriors Day. Also marching are the Cadets from the Royal Candaian Flying Corps. President of Goodyear Canada, Bert Partridge, congratulates the men from Goodyear.
Actor Raymond Massey introducing the subject of North American Air Defense, which is a joint enterprise of Canada and the United States. A map of the United States, Canada and the Arctic. Animation shows radar sites comprising the Dew Line, Mid Canada Line and Pine Tree Line in Canada, as well as coastal and ship borne sites around the United States. Internal U.S. sites tied to the automated SAGE system (Semi Automatic Ground Environment) are shown. SAGE is a computerized control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bombers. The headquarters of NORAD (North American Air Defense) is shown, at Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. Mr. Massey points out models of new antiaircraft missiles displayed on his desk. Animation shows how these can be fired from the ships at sea.
A DC-6 aircraft, carrying Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon of the United Kingdom (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother), taxis after landing at Uplands Airport (Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, 1000 Airport Parkway Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 9B4, Canada) in Ottawa, Canada. The Queen Mother descends steps from the aircraft. Quick view of parliamentary luncheon for 300 persons given in her honor. The Queen Mother receives a bouquet of flowers at the airport and reviews an honor guard of The 1st Black Watch (RHR) of Canada, in an airport hangar. Canadian officials in a line, being greeted by the Queen Mother. Afterwards, she enters an automobile with a clear plastic roof.
World War II film shows workers surrounding a completed B-29 bomber parked on ramp of what appears to be the Boeing plant on Sea Island, Canada. Film clip reads: "Canada Builds B-29s for U.S." (Note: Boeing of Canada, headquartered at Vancouver, B.C., built a huge manufacturing factory on Sea Island to build aircraft for the war effort. In 1944 Boeing began to manufacture the mid-sections of B-29 fuselages there, including bomb bays for the bomber. These sections were then trucked to Renton, Washington where they were incorporated into final assembled aircraft. However, this clip shows a fully assembled B-29 that may have been flown here for something like worker morale purposes.)
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, British Governor General of Canada, broadcasts New Year's message to citizens of Canada. He speaks about the death of King George V, of England, and of his successor, King Edward VIII, who of his own will resigned from his high office. He gives New year wishes and talks about his travels and what he has seen that has made him optimistic about Canada and its future.