Brief History of Canadian Diplomacy


After becoming a Dominion with full autonomy, for a long period of time, Canada was still under the umbrella of British diplomacy. All relations with other countries had to go "through the Governor General, to the Colonial Office in London, to the Foreign Office, to the British diplomatic mission abroad, and through this mission to the foreign government. This was awkward, time-consuming, and inefficient, especially as Canada's overseas business became more important. Therefore, on 1 June 1909,2 legislation had been passed in Ottawa setting up the Department of External Affairs. Its first budget was a modest $13,050 and its staff consisted of the undersecretary of state, two chief clerks, and four other employees. Its quarters were over a barber shop on Bank Street." 4

The Prime Minister was also Secretary of State for External Affairs. "the Department's personnel during the first two decades of its existence did not exceed an undersecretary and three assistants, plus the necessary clerks and secretaries. Apart from the High Commissioner to London, and the Agent General in France, neither of whom had diplomatic status, the first official dispatched abroad in a diplomatic role was the Advisory Officer to the League of Nations, named in 1925." 5

Under constant and active lobbying by Prime Minister Mackenzie King, finally, the British recognized Canada's right to have diplomatic relations with other countries through the adoption of the Balfour Declaration at the Imperial Conference of 1926. This recognition of Canada's sovereignty was legalized through the Statute of Westminster in 1931. "... the first legation was opened in Washington in 1927. By the outbreak of World War 2, diplomatic representatives had been exchanged as well with France, Japan, Belgium and the Netherlands. In other countries, British diplomats continued to look after Canadian affairs." 6

When the Second World War broke out, Mackenzie King "summoned Parliament and submitted to it a declaration of war on Germany that was approved exactly one week after the British declaration ... The seven-day interval served to demonstrate that Canada was making the decision in her own right..." 7 This important event showed that Canada was now, officially, the real master of her diplomacy.

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