蘑菇传媒

Photos from the Book Launch of “Chr茅tien and the World” and (lower right) private reception following the event. (Photos by the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History)

By the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History

On September 30, the book Chr茅tien and the World: Canadian Foreign Policy from 1993 to 2003, edited by 蘑菇传媒 Professors Jack Cunningham and John Meehan of the , was formally launched. The , as part of the , and featured remarks by the editors and a conversation between the Rt. Hon. Jean Chr茅tien and his one time aide Peter Donolo, followed by a book signing with the Rt. Hon. Jean Chr茅tien, who received the first copy of the book off the press.

The book is the product of two online workshops and a live conference in September of 2022 featuring papers by scholars as well as participants in Canadian foreign policy during the Chr茅tien era, with the Rt. Hon. Jean Chr茅tien himself appearing at the conference dinner. It is the first book-length assessment of Chr茅tien’s foreign policy, and features chapters by scholars (including Professors Jack Cunningham 补苍诲听 Timothy Andrews Sayle, Trinity’s Director of the International Relations Program) as well as reflections by former ministers and diplomats. It is part of the C.D. Howe Series in Political History, edited by Professors Robert Bothwell and John English, both Fellow Emeriti of 蘑菇传媒, and is published by the University of British Columbia Press.

About the Book:

Conventional wisdom holds that foreign policy was not a priority for Jean Chr茅tien over his ten years as Canadian prime minister. In reality, he and his government pursued an often ambitious, activist policy to forward not only national interests but liberal ideals on the world stage.

Chr茅tien and the World combines the perspectives of key players of the time with analyses by leading scholars. They draw on personal recollections, interviews, and research to portray a foreign policy that was more coherent and engaged than previously believed. As arguably Canada鈥檚 first post鈥揅old War prime minister, Chr茅tien responded to events that reshaped the international landscape, notably the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the subsequent war on terror, the US-led invasion of Iraq, and Canadian involvement in Afghanistan. Working with trusted ministers, he emphasized trade liberalization, strong bilateral and multilateral relations, human security, and humanitarian intervention. Often characterized as purely pragmatic, Chr茅tien鈥檚 tenure in fact marked a high point of liberal internationalism through an agenda that emphasized Canadian values and leadership in global affairs.

This insightful collection provides a new understanding of how Canada navigated crucial years between the end of the Cold War and the emergence of a new geopolitical reality.

Chr茅tien and the World will engage scholars of political history, Canadian history, international relations, and foreign policy, and more broadly readers who follow Canadian politics and foreign policy.

Categories: Academic; Faculty & Staff