Event Title
Dignified Aloofness: Canada's Failed Bid to Join the Pan American Union
Location
CSU 202
Start Date
24-4-2007 10:30 AM
End Date
24-4-2007 12:30 PM
Student's Major
History
Student's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Mentor's Name
Matthew Loayza
Mentor's Department
History
Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description
Existing historical scholarship has been critical of the United States' decision to keep Canada out of the Pan American Union in 1941. According to this literature, Canada's failure to join the international organization was a major setback to Canadian-Latin American relations. My research challenges this assertion by investigating the motives behind the Canadian bid for membership. An examination of policy makers' diaries, diplomatic papers, speeches, correspondence, and other key primary sources reveal that Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King held little interest in the Pan American Union. Despite overtures from Brazil, Mexico, and even the United States, King resisted establishing formal diplomatic ties with Latin America. My research reveals that staff members within the Canadian Department of External Affairs initiated the attempt at membership without King's full support. The resulting request for membership took the United States by surprise. While it did oppose the move, I have found that the United States' opposition was relatively weak. Yet, because King looked unfavorably upon membership, he accepted the United States' opposition without challenge. I conclude that previous histories have overemphasized the seriousness of United States' objections, while overlooking Prime Minister King's own opposition to membership in the Pan American Union.
Dignified Aloofness: Canada's Failed Bid to Join the Pan American Union
CSU 202
Existing historical scholarship has been critical of the United States' decision to keep Canada out of the Pan American Union in 1941. According to this literature, Canada's failure to join the international organization was a major setback to Canadian-Latin American relations. My research challenges this assertion by investigating the motives behind the Canadian bid for membership. An examination of policy makers' diaries, diplomatic papers, speeches, correspondence, and other key primary sources reveal that Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King held little interest in the Pan American Union. Despite overtures from Brazil, Mexico, and even the United States, King resisted establishing formal diplomatic ties with Latin America. My research reveals that staff members within the Canadian Department of External Affairs initiated the attempt at membership without King's full support. The resulting request for membership took the United States by surprise. While it did oppose the move, I have found that the United States' opposition was relatively weak. Yet, because King looked unfavorably upon membership, he accepted the United States' opposition without challenge. I conclude that previous histories have overemphasized the seriousness of United States' objections, while overlooking Prime Minister King's own opposition to membership in the Pan American Union.
Recommended Citation
Boubel, Gregory. "Dignified Aloofness: Canada's Failed Bid to Join the Pan American Union." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 24, 2007.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2007/oral-session-12/2
