Canada–United Kingdom relations

British-Canadian relations (also called Canada-United Kingdom relationshttp://geo.international.gc.ca/cip-pic/geo/united-kingdom-bb-en.aspx Foreign Affairs - Canada-United Kingdom Relations] ) are the bilateral relations between the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom. The two countries are related through a personal union due to their sharing of the same chief of state.

History

British-Canadian relations are characterized by a long history of extremely close ties, although not as equals. Before 1867, Canada was a collection of British colonies, and after that date an autonomous, but not fully sovereign, Dominion. As Canada became sovereign and Britain declined in power, direct bilateral ties were loosened, but both countries continued to be allies, and after the Second World War both countries became junior allies in the American-led Western Bloc.

The history of relations between Canada and the UK well into the 20th Century is really the story of Canada's slow evolution towards full sovereignty.

In 1759 Britain conquered New France and after the Treaty of Paris (1763) began to settle it with English-speaking settlers. British governors ruled these new territories absolutely until the Constitutional Act of 1791 which created the first Canadian legislatures. These weak bodies were still inferior to the governors until the granting of responsible government in 1848. With their new powers the colonies chose to federate in 1867, creating the new state of Canada with the entirely new status of Dominion devised especially for it.

The constitution of the new Canadian federation left foreign affairs up to the Imperial Parliament in Westminster, but the leaders of federal parliament in Ottawa soon developed their own viewpoints on some issues, notably relations between the British Empire and the United States. Stable relations and secure trade with the United States was becoming increasingly vital to Canada, so much so that historians have said that Canada's early diplomacy constituted a "North Atlantic triangle".

Most of Canada's early attempts at diplomacy necessarily involved the "Mother Country". Canada's first (informal) diplomatic officer was Sir John Rose sent to London by Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. George Brown was dispatched to Washington by Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie to influence British-American trade talks. The British government desired to formalise Canada's representation abroad rather than deal with so many informal lobbyists, and so in 1880 Alexander Tilloch Galt became the first High Commissioner sent from a Dominion to another Commonwealth Realm.

When it came time to respond to Imperial conflicts, Canada kept a low profile, especially during the Sudan Campaign. When Britain sided with the US during the Alaska boundary dispute it marked a low-point in British feeling in Canada. By the time of the Boer War, however, Canada was at the forefront.

Economically, Canadian governments were interested in free trade with the United States but since this was difficult to negotiate and politically unpopular they became leading advocates Imperial Preference, which met with limited enthusiasm in Britain.

At the outbreak of the Great War, Canada was in a pro-British fever, but the sacrifices of the war would strain those good feelings. At the Paris Peace Conference, Canada demanded the right to sign treaties without British permission and to join the League of Nations. By the 1920s Canada was taking a more independent stance on world affairs.

In 1926 through the Balfour Declaration Britain declared that she would no longer legislate for the Dominions, and that they were now fully independent states with the right to conduct their own foreign affairs. This was later formalised by the Statute of Westminster 1931.

Loyalty to Britain still existed, however, and during the darkest days of the Second World War for Britain, after the fall of France and before the entry of the Soviet Union or the US, Canada was Britain's principal ally in the North Atlantic, and a major source of weapons and food.

The outcome of the war was to put both countries into the American orbit, aligned against the communist powers in NATO and in the Korea War. Still, Britain remained a major power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and Canada was a middle power and often elected to it that body.

The definitive break in Canada's loyalist foreign policy came during the Suez Crisis, when the Canadian government actively worked to thwart Britain's invasion of Egypt.

In both countries regional ties loomed larger than the historical trans-Atlantic ones. Canada's trade with the US now dwarfed that with the UK. Britain eventually joined the European Economic Community and Canada the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) putting the two nations in rival trading blocs.

Trade and investment

Despite Canada's long-term shift towards proportionally more trade with the US, Canada-UK trade has continued to grow in absolute numbers and reached an all-time high in 2006. The UK is by far Canada's most important commercial partner in Europe and, from a global perspective, ranks second only to the United States.

In bottom-line terms, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and the UK reached almost C$21 billion in 2006, with two-way investment stocks totalling C$98 billion. The UK accounted for C$10.1 billion of exports from Canada, with gold, uranium and nickel – together with higher exports of aircraft and telecommunications equipment – sitting high on the list. The UK ranks second in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Canada, valued at C$39 billion in 2006, up 29.9 per cent on the previous year. The UK is also the second largest destination of Canadian direct investment abroad, valued at C$59 billion (11.3 per cent of the global total), up 20.7 per cent on 2005, positioning Canada as the third largest investor in the UK, following the US and France.http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/united_kingdom/can_UK-en.asp Canadian High Commission in London]

Tourism

In 2004, about 800,000 British residents visited Canada, making the United Kingdom Canada's second largest source of tourists after the United States. That same year, UK visitors spent almost C$1 billion while visiting Canada. Britain was the third most popular international destination for Canadian tourists in 2003, after the United States and Mexico – with some 700,000 visitors spending over C$800 million.http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/united_kingdom/can_UK-en.asp Canadian High Comminsion in London] VisitBritain promotes tourism from Canada to Britain as the British Tourist Board

Defence and security

Both countries are members of NATO, and currently the two countries' main area of defence cooperation in Afghanistan, where both are involved in the dangerous southern provinces.

Migration

From the conquest of New France until 1966 Britain remained one of Canada's largest sources of immigrants, usually "the" largest. In 1967 Canadian laws were changed to remove preferences that had been given to Britons and other Europeans, however British migration to Canada has continued at a lower level. As of 2008, when the constituent nations of the UK are taken together, people of British ancestry still form Canada's largest ethnic group.

Historically Canadians went to Britain to advance their careers or studies to higher levels than could be done at home. Britain acted as the metropole, or centre to which Canadians gravitated, however this function has to a large extent been replaced by the United States.

Quotes

* Canada's future first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, speaking in 1865 hoped that if the Canadian colonies created a new federation then Britain and Canada would have "a healthy and cordial alliance. Instead of looking upon us as a merely dependent colony, England will have in us a friendly nation, a subordinate but still a powerful people to stand by her in North America in peace or in war." [Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada - Canada and the World: A History - [http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/hist/canada2-en.asp 1867 - 1896: Forging a Nation] ]

* Speaking many years later at the beginning of the 1891 election (fought mostly over Canadian free trade with the United States), Macdonald said: "As for myself, my course is clear. A British subject I was born—a British subject I will die. With my utmost effort, with my latest breath, will I oppose the ‘veiled treason’ which attempts by sordid means and mercenary proffers to lure our people from their allegiance." - Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, Feb 3, 1891. [Histor!ca [http://www.histori.ca/prodev/article.do;jsessionid=8D3831D48EE489EBCF46813C8427E685.tomcat1?id=15356 "Election of 1891: A Question of Loyalty"] , James Marsh.]

See also

*High Commission of Canada in London
*High Commission of the United Kingdom in Ottawa
*List of High Commissioners from the United Kingdom to Canada
*List of Canadian High Commissioners to the United Kingdom

References

External links

; Government
* [http://www.visitbritain.ca Visit Britain] the British Tourist Board's Canadian site
* [http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1106750637785 British High Commission] The British High Commission in Ottawa
* [http://www.canada.org.uk/ Canadian High Commission] Canadian High Commission in London