ject ▁France ▁from ▁its ▁poss essions ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Heb rides , ▁the ▁Australian ▁prime ▁minister , ▁Alfred ▁De ak in , ▁arrived ▁in ▁London ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁Col onial ▁Conference ▁determined ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁very ▁basis ▁on ▁which ▁the ▁emp ire ▁was ▁organized . ▁He ▁proposed ▁that ▁the ▁conference ▁create ▁an ▁Imperial ▁Council ▁that ▁would ▁assume ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁general ▁shape ▁of ▁imperial ▁defence ▁and ▁foreign ▁policy . ▁A ▁secret ariat ▁would ▁carry ▁out ▁agreed ▁policy ▁and ▁facil itate ▁communic ations ▁between ▁meet ings . ▁Laur ier ▁was ▁un con vin ced . ▁A ware ▁that ▁closer ▁imperial ▁relations ▁would ▁infl ame ▁French ▁Canadian ▁opinion , ▁Laur ier ▁charged ▁the ▁Australian ▁with ▁end ang ering ▁domin ion ▁self - g overn ment . ▁The ▁debate ▁ra ged ▁for ▁days , ▁but ▁Laur ier , ▁whom ▁De ak in ▁later ▁den ounced ▁for ▁his ▁" fif th - rate ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Conference ", ▁def i antly ▁stood ▁his ▁ground . ▁For ▁the ▁moment , ▁this ▁fundamental ▁difference ▁over ▁how ▁the ▁emp ire ▁might ▁be ▁organized ▁pre cluded ▁close ▁relations . ▁Even ▁the ▁election ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁of ▁a ▁Conserv ative ▁and ▁imperial ly ▁mind ed ▁prime ▁minister , ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁B orden , ▁had ▁little ▁immediate ▁impact ▁on ▁Canada ' s ▁w ary ▁approach ▁to ▁imperial ▁issues . ▁However , ▁the ▁sw ir ling ▁pass ions ▁that ▁accompanied ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁swe pt