Asa McKercher – författare

Camelot and Canada explores Canada-U.S. relations in the early 1960s--the Kennedy era--a period marked not only by some of the tensest moments of the Cold War but also by the most contentious moments in the relationship between these neighboring nations.Exploring key political, economic, and military features of the Canada-U.S. relationship during this period, Asa McKercher challenges the prevailing view that U.S. foreign policymakers, including President John F. Kennedy, were imperious in their conduct toward Canada. Rather, he shows that the Kennedy administration continued to uphold the special diplomatic relationship that characterized the early postwar years. Even as John Diefenbaker's government pursued distinct foreign and economic policies, American officials acknowledged that Canadian objectives legitimately differed from their own and adjusted their policies accordingly. Moreover, for all its bluster, Ottawa rarely made a move without weighing the impact that its initiatives might have on Washington. At the same time, Camelot and Canada acknowledges the significant strain placed on the bilateral relationship in the early sixties, due to mounting Canadian doubts about U.S. leadership in the Cold War and a growing sense of nationalism in Canada. Rooted in Canadian concern at their country's close ties with the United States, this nationalism came to be personified by Diefenbaker, whose personal clashes with Kennedy have become mythologized by historians and the public alike. McKercher highlights how the Kennedy era saw an increasing breakdown of the postwar consensus between Canadians and Americans, even as the special relationship between their governments continued to function.

Three recent Canadian prime ministers, Paul Martin, Stephen Harper, and Justin Trudeau made the same claim shortly after forming a government: “Canada is Back.” Martin promised to reinvest in world affairs. Harper was focused on the military. Trudeau meant more involvement at the UN. Each leader made foreign policy a part of their political brand because they recognized that in today's world, domestic and international politics are interconnected. Canada can no longer take care of its own interests if it ignores the world around it.This book traces the history of Canadian foreign policy from a time when positioning Canada First meant shunning international obligations to today. It highlights key decisions taken and not taken in Ottawa that have shaped Canadians' safety, security, and prosperity over the last one hundred years. Case studies focused on environmental reform, Indigenous peoples, trade, hostage diplomacy, and wartime strategy illustrate the breadth of issues that shape contemporary Canada's global realm. Together, these cases reveal a country that has benefited from diplomatic prudence and compromise even as its citizens have yearned for their elected officials to be world leaders. This book argues that, like any country, Canada must look out for its own interests first, but in the modern world it can't do so effectively without cooperating with other states and non-state actors.Written by two of Canada's leading foreign policy analysts, Canada First, Not Canada Alone is the definitive history of Canadian foreign policy since the 1930s.

For much of the Cold War, Canada’s relationship with Europe played a vital yet often overlooked role in shaping the country’s place in the world. The end of that struggle and the rise of globalization saw Canadian policymakers shift their attention elsewhere – towards Canada–US relations and towards the Global South – at least until the events of the late 2010s. Across the North Atlantic refocuses attention back on Europe and its place in Canadian international relations.The volume examines Canada’s foreign policy engagement with Europe through its relationships with major European institutions – most notably the European Economic Community (EEC, now the European Union) and NATO – as well as with individual states such as Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Throughout the Cold War, Canadian policy sustained key post–Second World War priorities: support for Europe’s stability and security, the use of Europe as a strategic offset to American hegemony, and the pursuit of shared values rooted in a common past. Contributors show how Canada’s political, economic, military, and diplomatic ties with Europe shaped Cold War strategy and Canada’s evolving global identity. Drawing on new research, the chapters connect Cold War–era decisions to issues that continue to define Canada–Europe relations today, including security and defence, trade diversification, environmental diplomacy, human rights, and immigration and refugee policy.Across the North Atlantic demonstrates how Canada navigated the tensions – and opportunities – of transatlantic engagement with Europe while operating in the shadow of the United States.

When the field of Canadian history underwent major shifts in the 1990s, international history became marginalized and the focus turned away from foreign affairs. Over the past decade, however, the study of Canada and the world has been revitalized. Undiplomatic History charts these changes, bringing together leading and emerging historians of Canadian international and transnational relations to take stock of recent developments and to outline the course of future research. Following global trends in the wider historiography, contributors explore new lenses of historical analysis – such as race, gender, political economy, identity, religion, and the environment – and emphasize the relevance of non-state actors, including scientists, athletes, students, and activists. The essays in this volume challenge old ways of thinking and showcase how an exciting new generation of historians are asking novel questions about Canadians' interactions with people and places beyond the country's borders. From human rights to the environment, and from medical internationalism to transnational feminism, Undiplomatic History maps out a path toward a vibrant and inclusive understanding of what constitutes Canadian foreign policy in an age of global connectivity.

Although fifty years have passed since Lester Pearson stepped down as prime minister, he still influences debates about Canada's role in the world. Known as "Mike" to his friends, he has been credited with charting a "Pearsonian" course in which Canada took on a global role as a helpful fixer seeking to mediate disputes and promote international cooperation.Mike's World explores the myths surrounding Pearsonianism to explain why he remains such a touchstone for understanding Canadian foreign policy. Leading and emerging scholars dig deeply into Pearson's diplomatic and political career, especially during the 1960s and his time as prime minister. Topics range from peacekeeping and Arctic sovereignty to environmental diplomacy and human rights policy. They show that competing forces of idealism and pragmatism were key drivers of Pearsonian foreign policy and how global events often influenced politics and society within Canada itself.Situating Pearson within his times and as a lens through which to analyze Canadians' views of global affairs, this nuanced collection wrestles with the contradictions of Pearson and Pearsonianism and, ultimately, with the resulting myths surrounding Canada's role in the world.

In 1941, influential US publishing magnate Henry Luce declared the world was in the midst of the first great American century, believing his nation held the power and vision to lead and transform the world. What did a newly outward-looking and hegemonic United States mean for its northern neighbour? North of America is a sharp-eyed volume providing a unique look at postwar Canada, bringing to the fore the opinions and perceptions of a broad range of Canadians – from consumers to diplomats, jazz musicians to urban planners, and a diverse cross-section in between. As they grappled with issues including constitutional reform, transit policy, national security, the arrival of television, white supremacy, and postwar domesticity, Canadians were ever mindful of the unfolding American experience and its influence.

In 1941, influential US publishing magnate Henry Luce declared the world was in the midst of the first great American century, believing his nation held the power and vision to lead and transform the world. What did a newly outward-looking and hegemonic United States mean for its northern neighbour? North of America is a sharp-eyed volume providing a unique look at postwar Canada, bringing to the fore the opinions and perceptions of a broad range of Canadians – from consumers to diplomats, jazz musicians to urban planners, and a diverse cross-section in between. As they grappled with issues including constitutional reform, transit policy, national security, the arrival of television, white supremacy, and postwar domesticity, Canadians were ever mindful of the unfolding American experience and its influence.

Building a Special Relationship offers thoughtful insight into Canadian and American foreign relations during the 1950s, when Canada and the United States found new diplomatic footing as allies in the shadow of the Cold War. This book shows how the Eisenhower years were crucial in forming the bilateral relationship that currently exists between Canada and the United States. Under President Eisenhower and Prime Ministers St. Laurent and Diefenbaker, policy makers on both sides of the border collaborated with an air of "tolerant accommodation" on significant issues of the day. Despite frequent differences, they established frameworks for defence, foreign policy, economic growth, and resource management, many of which endure today. For scholars and readers of political history, international relations, and diplomacy, Building a Special Relationship makes a compelling case that the Eisenhower era is key to understanding the ongoing bond between these two nations.

This book is a history of Canada’s role in the world as well as the impact of world events on Canada. Starting from the country’s quasi-independence from Britain in 1867, its analysis moves through events in Canadian and global history to the present day. Looking at Canada’s international relations from the perspective of elite actors and normal people alike, this study draws on original research and the latest work on Canadian international and transnational history to examine Canadians’ involvement with a diverse mix of issues, from trade and aid, to war and peace, to human rights and migration. The book traces four inter-connected themes: independence and growing estrangement from Britain; the longstanding and ongoing tensions created by ever-closer relations with the United States; the huge movement of people from around the world into Canada; and the often overlooked but significant range of Canadian contacts with the non-Western world. With an emphasis on the reciprocal nature of Canada’s involvement in world affairs, ultimately it is the first work to blend international and transnational approaches to the history of Canadian international relations.

This book is a history of Canada’s role in the world as well as the impact of world events on Canada. Starting from the country’s quasi-independence from Britain in 1867, its analysis moves through events in Canadian and global history to the present day. Looking at Canada’s international relations from the perspective of elite actors and normal people alike, this study draws on original research and the latest work on Canadian international and transnational history to examine Canadians’ involvement with a diverse mix of issues, from trade and aid, to war and peace, to human rights and migration. The book traces four inter-connected themes: independence and growing estrangement from Britain; the longstanding and ongoing tensions created by ever-closer relations with the United States; the huge movement of people from around the world into Canada; and the often overlooked but significant range of Canadian contacts with the non-Western world. With an emphasis on the reciprocal nature of Canada’s involvement in world affairs, ultimately it is the first work to blend international and transnational approaches to the history of Canadian international relations.