POLI 319 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Justin Trudeau, Middle Power, Hard Power
13 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POLI 342
01.26.18
POWER CONTINUED
We looked at:
•hard power vs. soft power: states use both in different
contexts, production of effects, in and through, social
relations
•power as understood through the interactions between
human beings, and how this projects the identity of the
state
•tradition/realist: the ability to get others to act in a way
that they would not otherwise
•power as relational process : process of actions based
on the ability to shift actions of others to those that are
in line with Canadian interests, deter others from doing
things that are not inline with Canadian interests and
finally, rebuff attempts to make Canada do things
against our interests.
RELATIONS WITH THE US — “SLEEPING WITH THE
ELEPHANT”
Pierre Trudeau, 1969: Sleeping with the elephant
metaphor — even if they’re friendly, we are affected by
every movement.
Justin Trudeau, 2017: we’re more like a moose “strong
and peaceable” but still much outweighed by the US
•interesting that he says US in the only superpower, this
is up for debate
•think of the context: is he just pandering to the US?
•moose as the middle power, a continuation of Canada
trying to define itself is bigger than a small power but
not as big as superpowers.
•Trudeau at Davos this week: taking action on gender
equality on the world stage — action of a middle
power
•this is different from P. Trudeau, he is saying that we
should be active in the world. Pierre Trudeau was
saying we should focus more on our own matters.
POWER IN THE US-CANADA RELATIONSHIP
Canada is the biggest customer of the US, 400,000
Canadians cross the border everyday for business.
•also lots of familial relations across the border
•longest border in the world — 9000+ km, plus the
border between Alaska and Yukon
•US makes up 76% of Canada’s trade; Canada makes
up 18% of theirs.
Interactions on multiple domains
•US-Canada is the biggest trading relationship in the
world
•also founded NORAD together: military base in
Colorado Springs that manages defence of North
America
•often go to war together
•interesting: Canada most often goes to war with US
when France is also involved
•environment relationship
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Document Summary
Nally, rebuff attempts to make canada do things against our interests. Relations with the us sleeping with the. Pierre trudeau, 1969: sleeping with the elephant metaphor even if they"re friendly, we are affected by every movement. Pierre trudeau was saying we should focus more on our own matters. Canada is the biggest customer of the us, 400,000. Interactions on multiple domains: us-canada is the biggest trading relationship in the world, also founded norad together: military base in. America: often go to war together, interesting: canada most often goes to war with us when france is also involved, environment relationship. Needs (self-interests: our job is to preserve this friendship via different initiative, us wants is to be stable and predictable, which we are. After ww2, we failed to become a middle power. But we have continued to try ever since, and this ongoing struggle has de ned cfp.
