History of Canadian Foreign Relations

Canadian Complicity in the East Timor Near-Genocide: A Case Study in the Sociology of Human Rights

by Jeffery Klaehn

‘Canadian Complicity in the East Timor Near-Genocide: A Case Study in the Sociology of Human Rights,’ Portuguese Studies Review, 2004, Vol. 11(1): 49-65.

This research assesses the extent to which Canadian economic and political self-interest can be seen to have motivated... more This research assesses the extent to which Canadian economic and political self-interest can be seen to have motivated the complicity of successive Canadian governments in the East Timor near-genocide perpetrated by the government of Indonesia. The research considers ways in which Canada facilitated and legitimized Indonesia’s occupation vis-à-vis
diplomatic actions at the UN, pro-Indonesian foreign policy, direct investment in Indonesia, bilateral aid, and authorization of military export permits, thus in effect “aiding and abetting” the near-genocide. The research is intended to encourage debate concerning the relationship between the political and economic policies of Western nations and the state of human rights
elsewhere in the world.

THE CANADIAN RED CROSS AND RELIEF IN SIBERIA, 1918–-1921

by Jennifer Polk

Master's Thesis, Carleton University, 2004

'Courting war over a rubber stamp': Canada and the 1961 Berlin Wall crisis

by Daniel Macfarlane

published in 'International Journal,' 2008

The establishment of the Berlin Wall was one of the seminal moments of the Cold War. Not only did the wall serve as... more The establishment of the Berlin Wall was one of the seminal moments of the Cold War. Not only did the wall serve as the most powerful symbol of the protracted conflict, but its erection was one of the few occasions in which a “hot” war appeared imminent. Construction on the “Berliner Mauer” began on 13 August 1961, marking the beginning of the indefinite period that has become known as the Berlin Wall crisis. Although Berlin was technically under the purview of the occupation powers, the other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries had a vested interest in the status of Berlin because of the strategic and symbolic significance of the divided city. Canada was no exception, as was demonstrated by the active and leading role the country played within the western alliance during the crisis, displaying a commitment to Cold War collective security.

Islam and Cold War Modernization in the Formative Years of the McGill Institute of Islamic Studies, International Journal of Canadian Studies 32 (2005)

by David Webster

Canadian postwar approaches to Asia were made not only in the political and economic realms but also through religion... more Canadian postwar approaches to Asia were made not only in the political and economic realms but also through religion and education. Non-governmental actors were important in these relations, playing a role often complementary to government strategies. One of the major mechanisms for Canadian approaches to the Islamic world was McGill University’s Institute of Islamic Studies. Directed by Wilfred Cantwell Smith from 1951 to 1963, it sought to “modernize” Islam and build cultural bridges between the West and Islamic countries. Its influence was most notable in Indonesia, where McGill graduates became part of a modernizing elite aiming to develop Indonesia along pro-Western lines.

Canadian Catholics and the East Timor Struggle, 1975-99

by David Webster

Pre-print version - final version published in Historical Studies vol. 75 (2009), http://www.umanitoba.ca/colleges/st_pauls/ccha/studies.html.

Winner of the Paul Bator Award for best article in journal, 2008-2009

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was occupied by the Indonesian armed forces from 1975 to 1999. During that... more The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was occupied by the Indonesian armed forces from 1975 to 1999. During that time, a profound religious transformation saw the majority of the population become Catholics. Suffering massive human rights violations, they called on Catholics outside the country for support. Slowly at first, but with growing effect, many Canadian Catholics began to work in support of human rights in East Timor. Their efforts played a significant role in shifting the policies of the government of Canada from one of silence and complicity to one of acting in support of human rights and self-determination.

Canada and Bilateral Human Rights Dialogues

by David Webster

Pre-print version, to be published in Canadian Foreign Policy 16 no. 3 (2010)

Human rights have been asserted rhetorically as a goal of Canadian foreign policy for several decades. Beginning in... more Human rights have been asserted rhetorically as a goal of Canadian foreign policy for several decades. Beginning in 1997, Canada along with other countries began to turn towards the use of bilateral human rights dialogues (HRD) with countries seen as having a poor human rights record. A study of these dialogues sheds light on the place of human rights in Canadian foreign policy and on Canadian relations with Asia. Canada opened three dialogues, with China, Cuba, and Indonesia. This article positions those HRDs within the history of Canadian foreign policy on human rights and considers the origin of Canada’s HRDs as a way to demonstrate some action on rights while avoiding any linkage between rights and trade promotion. It then examines the course of the failed HRD with Cuba, the suspended dialogue with China, and the ongoing Canada-Indonesia HRD. HRDs became an end in their own right, showing few measurable results and freezing out meaningful civil society participation, while serving as an excuse to avoid multilateral action – a substitute rather than an addition to multilateral forums. The article proposes some conditions that should be met if HRDs are to be continued, and suggests that effective rights advocacy would require a return to multilateral rather than bilateral forums, the integration of human rights into all aspects of Canadian foreign policy, and a willingness to accept the flaws in Canada’s own human rights record.

Make Law Not War: Canada and the Challenge of International Law in the Age of Terror

by Stephanie Carvin

Competitiveness versus Sustainability: Canada, Free Trade and the Global Environment

by Rosalind Warner

"Applying Canadian Principles to Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Middle East"

by Nathan Funk

chapter published in Canada and the Middle East: In Theory and Practice (2007)

But He Has Nothing On At All: Canada and the Iraq War, 2003

by Tim Sayle

“But He Has Nothing On At All: Canada and the Iraq War, 2003” Canadian Military History, 19, no. 3 (Autumn 2010).

The Formative Years of Canadian Foreign Intelligence

by Tim Sayle

“The Formative Years of Canadian Foreign Intelligence,” Intelligence & National Security, 25, no. 2 (Winter 2010).

Canada, Cuba, and Constructive Engagement: Political Dissidents and Human Rights

by Ian Hesketh

Co-authored with Sahadeo Basdeo. Published in Canada, the United States, and Cuba: An Evolving Relationship, ed. Sahadeo Basdeo and Heather N. Nicole (Miami: North-South Center Press, 2002), 27–55.