“A marathon, not a sprint”: Canada and South African apartheid, 1987–1990
| Published date | 01 March 2020 |
| Date | 01 March 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020702020917179 |
| Author | Daniel Manulak |
| Subject Matter | Lessons of History |
Lessons of History
“A marathon, not a
sprint”: Canada and
South African apartheid,
1987–1990
Daniel Manulak
Department of History, University of Western Ontario,
London, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
In 2020, Canada does not maintain diplomatic ties with Iran or Saudi Arabia partly
owing to their human rights violations—a choice which has eroded its capacity to act
meaningfully in these countries. Thirty years ago, the Brian Mulroney government was
faced with a similar decision: to sever relations with the white minority regime in South
Africa or use its limited but real influence to contribute constructively to an end to
apartheid. This article examines how Canada “punched above its weight” on an issue
seemingly peripheral to its national interests from 1987 to 1990. It was during these
oft-overlooked years—South Africa’s “darkest days”—that Canada engaged through
multilateral fora, bilaterally, and its embassy to sustain global pressure and attention
on apartheid. In so doing, the Mulroney government became a diplomatic battleground
between its major allies, Pretoria, and its African Commonwealth partners. Such efforts
were not without costs, but Canada’s “advanced middling” role helped to bring about a
peaceful transition towards majority rule in South Africa and thus holds contemporary
lessons for policymakers.
Keywords
Brian Mulroney, Joe Clark, South African apartheid, the Third World,
the Commonwealth, Canadian foreign policy, human rights
Corresponding author:
Daniel Manulak, Department of History, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London,
Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
Email: dmanulak@uwo.ca
International Journal
2020, Vol. 75(1) 83–94
!The Author(s) 2020
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DOI: 10.1177/0020702020917179
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