Canada Day for POTUS Geeks
Today is Canada Day, which for this community brings to mind Canada US relations. Each is the other's chief economic partner, and the two economies have been intertwined since the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement in 1984 and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 1994. In addition, there has always been large scale immigration between the two nations, and since 1900 large-scale tourism as well.
The most serious breach in the relationship was the War of 1812, which saw an American invasion of then British North America and counter invasions from British-Canadian forces. The border was demilitarized after the war and, apart from minor raids, has remained peaceful. Military collaboration began during World War II and continued throughout the Cold War both through NORAD (the North American Air Defence initiative) and through NATO. Canada and the United States are currently the world's largest trading partners and share the world's longest unmilitarized border, though Canada has disagreed with American policies regarding the Vietnam War, the status of Cuba, the Iraq War, Missile Defense, and the War on Terrorism. A recent minor diplomatic debate is whether the Northwest Passage is in international waters or under Canadian jurisdiction.
Following are a series of quotes from American Presidents and Canadian Prime Ministers about the relationship between the two nations:
* President John F. Kennedy: "Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder."
* Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once remarked that Canada being America's neighbour, "is like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered the beast, if one can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
* President Harry S. Truman: "Canada and the United States have reached the point where we can no longer think of each other as foreign countries."
* President Richard Nixon, during his visit to Ottawa in 1972, declared that the "special relationship" between Canada and the United States was dead. "It is time for us to recognize," he stated, "that we have very separate identities; that we have significant differences; and that nobody's interests are furthered when these realities are obscured."
* Prime Minister Steven Harper's in a released statement congratulating Barack Obama on his inauguration: "The United States remains Canada’s most important ally, closest friend and largest trading partner and I look forward to working with President Obama and his administration as we build on this special relationship."
* President Lyndon Johnson: "We of the United States consider ourselves blessed. We have much to give thanks for. But the gift of providence we cherish most is that we were given as our neighbours on this wonderful continent the people and the nation of Canada." Remarks at Expo '67, Montreal, May 25, 1967.
* President Barack Obama speaking in Ottawa, Ontario at his first official international visit February 19, 2009: "I love this country. We could not have a better friend and ally."
Happy Canada Day!
The most serious breach in the relationship was the War of 1812, which saw an American invasion of then British North America and counter invasions from British-Canadian forces. The border was demilitarized after the war and, apart from minor raids, has remained peaceful. Military collaboration began during World War II and continued throughout the Cold War both through NORAD (the North American Air Defence initiative) and through NATO. Canada and the United States are currently the world's largest trading partners and share the world's longest unmilitarized border, though Canada has disagreed with American policies regarding the Vietnam War, the status of Cuba, the Iraq War, Missile Defense, and the War on Terrorism. A recent minor diplomatic debate is whether the Northwest Passage is in international waters or under Canadian jurisdiction.
Following are a series of quotes from American Presidents and Canadian Prime Ministers about the relationship between the two nations:
* President John F. Kennedy: "Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder."
* Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once remarked that Canada being America's neighbour, "is like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered the beast, if one can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
* President Harry S. Truman: "Canada and the United States have reached the point where we can no longer think of each other as foreign countries."
* President Richard Nixon, during his visit to Ottawa in 1972, declared that the "special relationship" between Canada and the United States was dead. "It is time for us to recognize," he stated, "that we have very separate identities; that we have significant differences; and that nobody's interests are furthered when these realities are obscured."
* Prime Minister Steven Harper's in a released statement congratulating Barack Obama on his inauguration: "The United States remains Canada’s most important ally, closest friend and largest trading partner and I look forward to working with President Obama and his administration as we build on this special relationship."
* President Lyndon Johnson: "We of the United States consider ourselves blessed. We have much to give thanks for. But the gift of providence we cherish most is that we were given as our neighbours on this wonderful continent the people and the nation of Canada." Remarks at Expo '67, Montreal, May 25, 1967.
* President Barack Obama speaking in Ottawa, Ontario at his first official international visit February 19, 2009: "I love this country. We could not have a better friend and ally."
Happy Canada Day!