On Thursday, October 17, we were pleased to host a virtual event with Dr. Asa McKercher, who shared his insights into the relationship between the Canadian and American governments leading up to and during the Cold War, and how this legacy can still be felt today. Dr. McKercher is the Stanley K. Hudson Research Chair in Canada-US Relations and Association Professor at the Mulroney Institute of Government, St. Francis Xavier University. He shared his expertise in political history and policy analysis to provide an informative presentation.
Dr. McKercher discussed Canada’s evolving role and contributions in defence policies and contributions to from the early 1900s to the 1970s. After World War I, Canadian Prime Minister King and United States President Roosevelt promised reciprocal support in case of threats from other countries. But as American power and influence grew around the world, Canada’s stance began to shift. In 1951, Canada’s defence spending grew to demonstrate comparable support of American efforts, but Prime Ministers like St. Laurent and Pearson took stances that lobbied against US activities and called for national unity and political liberty in Canada. Canada proved it could have an independent role as a middle-power country, to negotiate and offer advice to the Americans while maintaining its own sovereignty.
The discussion delved into notable global events that had an impact on Canada’s changing policies and commitments, like the Korean War, the Suez Crisis, and the Vietnam War, and spoke to key agreements involving Canada and the United States including the Permanent Joint Board on Defence and NORAD. Dr. McKercher also highlighted the diverse personal and professional relationships between sitting presidents and prime ministers.
Despite changes in the Canada-US relationship in the last century, the overall sense of cooperation, instead of confrontation, between the two countries is still seen today — something not all countries can say about the relationship with their neighbours. As Canada continues to define its own interests and policies, these past relationships can provide important learnings for current and future leaders.
Our sincere thanks to Dr. Asa McKercher for this thought-provoking presentation and the insights into a topic that remains relevant today.
You can watch a recording of the presentation here:
>> Asa McKercher (PhD, Cambridge) is Stanley K. Hudson Research Chair in Canada-US Relations and Associate Professor at the Mulroney Institute of Government, St. Francis Xavier University. His books include Building a Special Relationship: Canada-US Relations in the Eisenhower Era, 1953-1961 (UBC Press, 2024) and Camelot and Canada: Canadian-American Relations in the Kennedy Era (Oxford, 2016), as well as the edited collections North of America: Canadians and the American Century, 1945-61 (UBC Press, 2023) and Mike’s World: Lester B. Pearson and Canadian External Affairs (UBC Press, 2017). He is Editor-in-Chief of International Journal, Canada’s journal of global policy analysis. A specialist in Canada-US relations, Canadian foreign policy, US foreign policy, and North American political and cultural history, he has previously taught at Queen’s University, McMaster University, and the Royal Military College of Canada.
Twitter: @asa_mckercher
Website: https://www.mulroneyinstitute.ca/node/5906
Book: “Building a Special Relationship: Canada-US Relations in the Eisenhower Era, 1953–61”
https://www.ubcpress.ca/building-a-special-relationship (available as free PDF or for purchase)
We invite you to join us for the upcoming event in our 2024 Speaker Series:
- November 14, 2024: Canada and NATO during the Cold War, with Dr. Susan Colbourn
Check out the blog post and recording from the previous event:
