26-H202 When the Elephant Goes Rogue: Canada-U.S. relations from 1945-2025 – Elizabeth Smythe

As Pierre Elliot Trudeau once said about the United States, “It is like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.” This reflects two realities of the relationship. One is the size and capacity of the U.S. economically and militarily and Canada’s proximity to, and traditional dependence on, the U.S.  Second, while Canada is often depicted as the closest ally and “best friend” of the United States, the relationship is more complicated and driven, not so much by shared values, as by material interests. This course will critically examine relations, focusing on three main themes: Borders, security and defence; Trade, investment and economic integration, and Political and diplomatic issues. The themes will be approached from a Canadian perspective looking at 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?”

Instructor:  Elizabeth Smythe

Dr. Elizabeth Smythe received her PhD from Carleton University. She was a professor of Political Science at Concordia University in Edmonton for over 30 years where she taught international relations and comparative politics. Her publications and research projects have addressed the politics of the negotiation of international trade and investment agreements and trade rules and standards for food labelling. For many years she taught a senior seminar on Canadian Foreign Policy focusing on the challenges posed for Canadian sovereignty by the Canada-U.S. relationship.