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Canada’s relationship with the United States is the most important connection we have with another country. This relationship has become very close since the Second World War, when the United States replaced Great Britain as Canada’s main economic, military, and cultural influence. Beginning with Franklin Roosevelt’s visit to Ottawa in 1943, a number of American presidents have met their Canadian counterparts at official meetings in the nation’s capital. The issues they have dealt with at these talks have been varied, focusing on a wide range of bilateral and foreign policy matters. The two countries and their respective leaders have often agreed on topics of mutual concern and have formed strong military and trade alliances. But on other occasions, Canada and the United States have adopted very different policies on crucial issues. To a great extent, the Canada-U.S. relationship since the Second World War has been shaped by the nature of the personal and political ties between the leaders of the two countries. These links have at times been strong and positive, while on other occasions there have been deep and serious rifts.

Students work in pairs or small groups and select one of the following topics on which to prepare a summary or overview about the state of Canadian-American relations:

1. Canada’s military alliance with the United States during the Second World War
2. Canada’s support for the United States and the west during the outbreak of the Cold War (late 1940s, 1950s)
3. Canada’s growing economic relationship with the United States (1950s and 1960s)
4. Canada’s differences with the United States on foreign policy issues (1960s)
5. Strains in the Canada-U.S. relationship (1970s)
6. Closer relations between Canada and the U.S. (1980s)
7. Canadian-American relations in the post–Cold War era (1990s)
8. Differences between Canada and the U.S. at the beginning of the 21st century

Students should focus on the main issues involved in the Canadian-American relationship during this time and the role that the prime ministers and presidents of the day played in influencing them. The following questions (also available on the download sheet Canadian-American Relations) will help to focus their inquiry:

1. What were the main issues involved in Canada’s relationship with the United States during this period?
2. What differences were there between the Canadian and American governments’ position on these issues?
3. What role did the prime minister and president of the day play in influencing the course of the relationship and the resolution of the main issues at play in it?
4. Why was this period important in the evolution of Canadian-American relations?
5. What parallels or similarities can be noted between this phase of Canada’s relationship with the United States and the present-day situation?

After students have presented and distributed their reports, discuss the evolution of Canada’s relationship with the United States since the Second World War, evaluating the main issues at stake, the roles of various political leaders, and how the history of this relationship has influenced the present-day situation between the two countries.