Canada–Caribbean relations

Canada—Caribbean relations are the long established relationships between Canada and the many states of the Caribbean or West Indies. These ties have been on-going throughout the history of both regions. Initially these relations were based on the policies of European colonial powers in the Americas. More recently, both Canada and most of the Caribbean islands have achieved self-government, putting their relations into a different phase.

History

New France and the French colonies in the Caribbean enjoyed a flourishing trade in the first part of the eighteenth century, with the fortress of Louisburg acting as an important trading centre linking New France, the Caribbean and France. When Britain gained control over the northern half of the continent, these relations were largely severed as trade between North America and the British Caribbean holdings went almost exclusively through U.S. ports, especially Boston.

With the American Revolution, the Americans were, in theory, to be shut out of the British colonies by the Navigation Acts and other British laws. Canadian merchants, especially those based in Halifax, strove to become the new leading trading partners. The trade with the Caribbean did become an important one for Halifax, but the British laws could do little to prevent American traders from continuing to play a central role. The merchants of the West Indies preferred dealing with the United States, which produced a greater variety of goods at lower prices than the Canadians. The weak Spanish Empire could do even less than the British to keep out foreign traders, and Canadian trade with Cuba and other Spanish holdings also rose in prominence. This trade peaked in the years immediately before Canadian Confederation. Canada shipped flour, corn, timber, and fish to the Caribbean, while sugar and rum moved north. In the Maritimes a prosperous sugar refining and rum industry arose based on these imports.

Also of historical importance was the military relationship between British colonies in the Caribbean and Canada. Halifax was the major North American British naval base, and British warships frequently traveled between it and the Caribbean. In both the First and Second World Wars Canadian troops were moved to the Caribbean to replace British forces that were needed in other theatres.Fact|date=September 2008

While the relationship with the United States and with Britain continued to be the most important ones to the British colonies of the West Indies, there were also growing concerns about American domination and Canada was seen as an important counterbalance. The United States imposed high import duties, and greatly favoured its domestic sugar industry over that of its southern neighbours. There were also continued political and cultural links between Canada and the West Indies. This led to a number of Caribbean colonies considering applying to join Canadian Confederation. In the political crisis that hit Jamaica in 1882, one of the proposed solutions was joining Canada. Michael Solomon led the pro-Confederation faction, but when he introduced a motion to that effect in the Legislative Council everyone but he voted against it.Fact|date=September 2008 Prominent Barbadian R.P. Elliott wrote to the Canadian government on behalf of a number of the islands' elite asking to join Canada.Fact|date=September 2008 These proposals were never seriously considered in Canada, and few in the West Indies actually felt they were valid solutions. In the years after the First World War the British government of Lloyd George considered transferring the responsibility for all British colonies in the Caribbean, as well as Newfoundland and the Falkland Islands, to the Canadian government, but the Canadians were not interested.Fact|date=September 2008 In the 1980s the idea of union was again briefly raised with some discussion of the Turks and Caicos joining Canada.

In the later part of the nineteenth century the British system of imperial preference was largely dismantled and the Canadian traders lost their advantage in the Caribbean. The United States' economic and political power grew in the region, as they also removed many of the tariff barriers with the region. At the end of the century the United States gained political control over a number of Caribbean areas, such as the Danish Virgin Islands, Cuba, and Puerto Rico and American business relations had a near monopoly on trade in those areas. Trade patterns also shifted, as the market for West Indian sugar disappeared. By the Second World War bauxite had replace sugar as the main export to Canada, and Jamaica and Guyana became the most important trading partners, while imports from the smaller islands declined considerably.

While trade between the regions declined, Canadian investment increased. As British companies pulled out of the region after decolonization, Canadian companies moved in. This was especially true in the banking and insurance sectors. Caribbean governments welcomed Canadian investment as a tool to prevent the total economic domination of the United States. This is perhaps most obvious in Cuba which pursued close economic ties with Canada after the Cuban Revolution.

Recent times

Presently, Canada's banks have an especially large role in the Caribbean. Canadian banks own the three largest banks in the English-speaking Caribbean. [ [http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10925797 "The Economist"- "The Canadian connection"] ]

Additionally several Canadian energy companies have significant stakes in Caribbean based electricity generation providers.

*Canadian International Power Company Ltd. (CIPC)
**Barbados Light and Power Company (BL&P Co.) [ [http://www.blpc.com.bb/aboutus/history/history5.cfm The Barbados Light and Power Company Limited - Our History (1990's)] ] - Barbados
*Emera
**St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) [ [http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000051/005185.htm Canadian utility acquires stake in St Lucia electricity company] "The CaribbeanNetNews" Wednesday, January 17, 2007] - Saint Lucia
*Fortis Inc.
**Belize Electricity Limited - Belize
**Caribbean Utilities Limited - Cayman Islands
**Fortis Turks and Caicos [ [http://www.fortis.ca/fortiscompanies/TurksCaicos.aspx Fortis Inc., through a wholly owned subsidiary, acquired all of the outstanding shares of P.P.C. Limited ("PPC") and Atlantic Equipment and Power (Turks and Caicos) Limited ("Atlantic") on August 28, 2006.] "Fortis Turks and Caicos"] - Turks and Caicos Islands

In 2007, as part of a larger trip to Latin America and the Caribbean, Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Barbados and Haiti. Observers said this was intended to increase Canada's visibility in the region and to remind Canadians of the region's importance. [ [http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9481429 "The Economist" - "Harper steps out"] ]

Migration

Since the liberalization of Canada's immigration laws in the 1960s immigration from the Caribbean has increased dramatically. As of 2001, of Canada's 783,795-strong Black population (2.5% of Canadian population) nearly 40% have Jamaican heritage [ [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo26a.htm Population by selected ethnic origins, by province and territory (2001 Census) ] ] , and an additional 32% have heritage elsewhere in the Caribbean or Bermuda. [http://ccach.org/blacks_in_Canada.pdf CST.SP04.qxd ] ] . In addition many Canadians of South Asian descent have immediate origins in the Caribbean.

At the same time many Canadian snowbirds move to the Caribbean seasonally or for retirement.

ee also

*Regional Security System
*Caribbean Development Bank
*Organization of American States
*Proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories
*High Commission of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in Ottawa

References

*Brian Douglas Tennyson. ed. "Canadian-Caribbean Relations: Aspects of a Relationship."
*" [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0008531 West Indians] . "The Canadian Encyclopedia."
* Carmichael, Dr. Trevor A. 2001. "Passport to the Heart: Reflections on Canada Caribbean Relations". Ian Randle Publishers, Kingston 6, Jamaica. ISBN 976-637-028-1 [http://www.david-kilgour.com/secstate/passport.htm The book's Forward passage] , [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4000/is_200207/ai_n9131167 synopsis]