Former prime minister Robert Borden represented a Canada shaped by the costs of the First World War and by Mackenzie King's emphasis on domestic development. King is described as seeking the benefits of Commonwealth security while avoiding the expense of large Canadian forces. The discussion points to funded inspections of roads and infrastructure in the northern United States as evidence of concern about the logistics of a possible attack on Canada. Financial help to Britain offered a less costly contribution than maintaining equivalent Canadian forces. Canada had declined proposals for a battlecruiser-centred imperial squadron and considered, then rejected, acquiring Queen Elizabeth-class battleships. Lower treaty limits appealed because they reduced the fleet Britain would have to sustain and the pressure for additional Canadian contributions.
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Canada's low-cost route to Commonwealth security
Canada wanted the protection of a strong imperial system while concentrating its own resources on national development rather than large armed forces.