Instructor: Prof Emerita Elizabeth Smythe Fee: Members $75 Non-members $95

This course will deal with Canada-US relations from the post WWII period to the present.

As Pierre Elliot Trudeau once remarked about dealing with the US. It is like:

sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.

That remark captures two aspects of the reality of the relationship. One is the size and capacity of the United States economically and militarily and, thus, given Canada’s proximity and dependence on the US, its capacity to harm Canada. Second, while Canada is often depicted as the closest ally and best friend of the US, that relationship is much more complicated and driven not so much by shared values as material interests. The course will examine relations thematically, rather than chronologically, focussing on three main themes:

• Borders, security and defence
• Trade, investment and economic integration,
• Political and diplomatic issues

The themes will be approached from a Canadian perspective looking at these relationships and key actors including national leaders, parties, corporations and sub-national governments (e.g. provinces). The course will address the perennial question: can Canada be fully sovereign and independent, especially in periods when it is facing unpredictable and hostile actions from the elephant? If so, how?