▁no ▁longer ▁shared ▁Australia ' s ▁interest ▁in ▁co - oper ating ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁Commonwealth , ▁a ▁susp icion ▁which ▁seemed ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁me ag re ▁results ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁Imperial ▁Conference . ▁On ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁war , ▁Mack en zie ▁King ▁stood ▁fast ▁against ▁Australia ▁and ▁its ▁prime ▁minister ' s ▁efforts ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁final ▁declaration ▁of ▁imperial ▁solid ar ity . ▁ ▁Aw k ward ▁al lies : ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁ ▁Mack en zie ▁King ' s ▁ambigu ous ▁attitude ▁towards ▁Britain ▁and ▁its ▁Empire ▁disappeared ▁with ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁A ▁un ited ▁Canada ▁hurried ▁to ▁join ▁Australia ▁at ▁Britain ' s ▁side . ▁The ▁war ▁her ald ed ▁a ▁new ▁era ▁in ▁Canadian - Austral ian ▁relations ▁and ▁gave ▁the ▁partners hip ▁an ▁increasing ly ▁important ▁political ▁character . ▁This ▁transformation ▁began ▁smooth ly . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁Canada ▁renew ed ▁its ▁suggestion ▁that ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁exchange ▁high ▁commission ers ▁and ▁Australia ▁readily ▁approved ▁of ▁a ▁step ▁that ▁now ▁appeared ▁to ▁aff irm ▁imperial ▁unity . ▁A ▁business man ▁and ▁former ▁minister ▁of ▁defence , ▁Sir ▁William ▁Glasgow , ▁was ▁quickly ▁sent ▁to ▁Ott awa ▁to ▁head ▁the ▁new ▁mission . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁Australian ▁and ▁Canadian ▁high ▁commission ers ▁in ▁London , ▁Stanley ▁Melbourne ▁Bruce ▁and ▁Vincent ▁M asse y ▁respectively ,