Abstract
The border between America and Canada is both physical and psychological. ‘Borders’ looks at the challenges of being a middle power next to an imperial power, described by Pierre Trudeau as a ‘sleeping elephant’. After a short war in 1812, the relationship has been one of cooperation. Crises like the Cold War and 9/11 required a diplomatic approach from Canada. Only rarely—as in the Suez Crisis of 1956—did Canada play a role on the global diplomatic stage. While peacekeeping is important to Canada’s establishment as a world power, some involvement with the USA in war and considerable involvement in trade is seen as vital.
