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Why Canada is best explained as a ‘reliable ally’ in 2017

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Journal of Transatlantic Studies Aims and scope

Abstract

The Trudeau government has a deep philosophical attachment to liberal internationalism, yet its actions suggest otherwise. In 2017, its behaviour, operationalised in terms of changes to defence spending, deployments of military personnel overseas and the employment of strategic narratives, lend more weight to ‘reliable ally’ explanations. The Trump Administration, with its criticism of NATO and concern about burden-sharing, represented an intervening variable. Canada’s actions, while certainly self-interested, also represented an effort to persuade the Trump Administration that NATO was neither obsolete nor a club of states free-riding on American largesse as a means of shoring up the alliance.

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Notes

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  1. The Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    J. R. McKay

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Correspondence to J. R. McKay.

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Dr J.R. McKay was educated at Bishop’s University, the Royal Military of College of Canada (RMC) and King’s College London. He is currently serving as the Associate Dean of Arts (Faculty) at RMC.

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McKay, J.R. Why Canada is best explained as a ‘reliable ally’ in 2017. J Transatl Stud 16, 137–164 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1080/14794012.2018.1450922

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