North Atlantic triangle

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The North Atlantic triangle is theoretical construct for studying the history of Canadian foreign policy.^[1][2][3]

The triangle in question involves Ottawa, Washington and Westminster. This triangle was invisible to Americans or Britons, but it was vital to Canada. Simply, Canada's primary foreign policy interests all involved Anglo-American relations. No matter what Canada did, its fate rested on good relations between the UK and the USA.

[edit] Overview

Canada's interest in Anglo-American relations began as early Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty of 1854, when Canada was still a collection of British colonies. The short era of increased trade with the US that the treaty created deeply influenced Canadian trade policy and attitudes towards the US for years to come. After Canada federated and became a dominion, Canada's new federal government became part of Anglo-American relations. At the Washington conference of 1871 which discussed all issues of Anglo-American relations, Canada's prime minister, John A. Macdonald took part as part of the British delegation. This triange diplomacy lasted in various forms for decades. Canadian Prime Minister Borden sought to create an Anglo-American alliance during the Paris peace talks of 1919, and pushed Britain to renounce its alliance with Japan and instead come to an agreement with the US during the 1920s. Canada also hoped to become part of the inner circle of allied decision making during the Second World War, and Prime Minister Mackenzie King hosted Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt in Quebec City for that reason.

[edit] References

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