Review: Canada: Canada among Nations 2000
| Published date | 01 March 2001 |
| Date | 01 March 2001 |
| Author | Graham Fraser |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070200105600111 |
| Subject Matter | Review |
REVIEWS
CANADA
Reviews
by
Graham
Fraser,
Toronto
Star
CANADA
AMONG
NATIONS
2000
Vanishing
borders
Edited
by
Maureen
Appel
Molat
and
Fen
Osler
Hampson
Don
Mills
ON:
Oxford
University
Press,
2000,
xii,
34
1pp,
$28.95
paper,
ISBN
0-19-541540-X
T
he
challenge
in
any
series
of
this
kind
is
to
rise
above
the
con-
straints
of
a
yearbook
to
make
contributions
that
go
beyond
mere
time
capsules.
This
edition
certainly
meets
the test.
It
is
helped,
in
part,
by
the
constants
in
the
Canada-United
States
relationship
over
the
last
decade
since
the
signature
of
the
free
trade agreement.
The
mantra
of
$1
billion
a
day
in
trade, marred
only
by
the
relatively
minor
irritants in
the
bilateral
trade
relationship,
has
replaced
the
longest
undefended
border
as
the
resonant
clich6
about
the
relationship.
But
beyond
the
familiar
themes, there
are
some
valuable
reminders,
several
from
Americans who
know
Canada
well.
Christopher
Sands,
for
instance,
points
out
that
Canada
is
a
less
significant
global
player
than
it
was
two
decades
ago
and
that
'a
significant
part
of
Canada's
decline
in
world
affairs
is
self-inflicted.'
Similarly,
Joseph
Jockel
makes
it
clear
that
if
Canada
refuses
to
participate
in the National
Missile
Defense system,
it
would
mean
'eventually
having to
say
goodbye
to
NORAD'
and
that,
as
a
result, 'Canada's
long-term
standing
as
a close
ally...
would diminish.'
Brian
Stevenson
looks
at
the
role
Canadian
non-governmental
orga-
nizations
have
played
in
Latin
America
and
Lloyd
Axworthys
record
in
strengthening
Canada's
relationship
with
Mexico.
As
a
result
of
the
per-
sistence
of
the disproportionate
influence
of
the
United
States, he
writes,
'Canada
must
continue
to
forge
close
relationships in
the
hemi-
sphere
and
to
bring
its
unique
contribution
and
character to
the
inter-
American system.'
INTERNATIONAL
JOURNAL
Winter 2000-2001
To continue reading
Request your trial