Canada First, Not Canada Alone

Abstract This book traces the history of Canadian foreign policy from a time when positioning Canada first meant shunning international obligations to the more collective approach that is common 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. The chapters are organized around the governments of Canadian prime ministers. They begin with an overview of foreign policy during the period. Case studies focused on issues including immigration, environmental reform, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, foreign trade, international development, hostage diplomacy, and wartime strategy illustrate the breadth of challenges that shape Canada’s global realm. Chapters include comprehensive bibliographies based on the latest research. A Beyond the Book case concludes each chapter with an introduction to an additional issue and suggested further reading. Canada First, Not Canada Alone argues that Canada’s national interests have been well served by general policies of diplomatic prudence, compromise, and multilateralism even if in recent years Canadian citizens have often yearned to be leaders on the world stage. Such leadership has been exceptional and, even then, has rarely been undertaken without the support of likeminded allies and associates. Like any country, Canada must look out for its own interests first, but in the modern world it cannot do so effectively without co-operating with other states and non-state actors.