Why Didn't Canada Trust America?

In the 1800s, Canadians had a great distrust for the Americans. With America revolting against Britain, it was obvious they would try to invade the British colonies. The main reason for this is the fact that during the American Revolution in 1812, America attempted to invade British North America (Canada) to gain more land and resources to fight the French. When Napoleon was defeated in 1814, Britain and France became allies. With Napoleon defeated, this left the Americans with no reason to be fighting Canada any longer, and stopped the invasion. After the war, America and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which restored relations between the two countries. However, distrust between the two countries was still present.

The signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war of 1812.

During the American Civil War, rumors spread that North Americans were preparing to invade Canada, because they knew Britain was pro-southern. The Canadians were afraid that America would be attacking them any day, which was part of the reason the colonies wanted a confederation. However, after World War I and world War II, and the Cold War, America and Canada gained a strong trust in each other that still lasts today.

-Tye Lamont

What kind of trade relations Canada and US have?

Before the 1860's the Canadians have had a special trading deal with the British, but this deal ended and the Canadians needed some place new to trade with. The United States and Canada made a trading agreement but the United States stopped this agreement out of no where. Canadians thought that if they were one country they would have a lot better advantages and could trade with each other better.


Trade relations between Canada and the US are of great importance to Canada. The US is Canada's most important trading partner and the US has provided Canada with much of its investment capital and technology through foreign investment, resulting in a high level of US ownership and control of the Canadian economy. Canada is also the largest export customer of the US as well as a major source of natural resources for US industry. Almost 10% of US exports are shipped to Canada, that is more then 60% of Canada's imports.


The 2 countries improved from 1875 to 1900 the linkages that determined the pattern for closer trades. Americans invested heavily in Canada, establishing "branch plants" and taking over many Canadian-owned company's. Ex., in 1898 the giant Standard Oil company bought out Canada's largest oil company, Imperial Oil. Trade increased, and business and financial ties were quickly formed, reinforced by transportation and labour.


While access to US markets, investment and technology have helped Canadians, the remaining commercial arrangements, along with the great difference in population between the 2 countries, has created serious problems for Canada, including a high level of dependency on and vulnerability to US policies.



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-Mitch Fraser

What kind of relations did Canada have with the US

An excerpt from the L. N. Fuller articles dated 1923 "..Navy Island was now the center of activity. The steamer, Caroline, carrying supplies to the island, was burned by the British. This incident, who caused most critical relations to exist between the United States and Canada, will be described elsewhere. Another attempt was made to invade Canada from the Niagara frontier, but it, too, was a failure..." "...Captain Drew and his crew returned to the British side where they were received with cheers. On the American shore a vast throng had assembled, horrified at the deed, as they believed that the helpless boat was freighted with living men. Great Britain approved the deed and conferred the order of a knighthood on Colonel McNab and publicly thanked Captain Drew...". America, infuriated by the actions of the Canadas under british control, had a different reaction."The reaction on the American side was different. Governor Marcy sent a special message to the legislature denouncing the deed. President Van Buren sent a special message to congress, declaring that a British force under arms had invaded American territory, that American property had been destroyed and American lives lost. The secretary of state demanded satisfaction from the British minister to Washington and the militia was called out all along the northern border. General Scott was ordered to the frontier to take charge of the proceedings." Although extremely mad, The US had no intentions of going to war with the Canadas.

In foreign affairs, one of the chief problems Van Buren faced was a dispute with Britain about Canada. Canadian rebels had tried two times to end British rule of Canada. They failed both times. Rebel leaders were forced to flee to safety in the United States. There they found it easy to get men and supplies to help them continue their struggle.
The rebels built a base on a Canadian island in the Niagara River which formed part of the border between the two countries. They used an American boat to carry supplies from the American side to their base. In December 1837, Canadian soldiers crossed the Niagara River and seized the boat. One American was killed in the fight.
For a while, Canadian forces and Canadian rebels exchanged attacks on river boats. A number of American citizens fought with the rebels. President Van Buren was troubled. He declared that the wish to help others become independent was a natural feeling among Americans. But, he said no American had a right to invade a friendly country. He warned that citizens who fought against the Canadian government, and were captured, could expect no help from the United States.

Another problem between the United States and Canada at that time concerned the border along the state of Maine. That part of the border had been in dispute ever since 1783 when Britain recognized the independence of the American states.
Years later, the king of the Netherlands agreed to decide the dispute. The king said it was impossible to decide the border from words of the peace treaty between Britain and the United States. So he offered what he believed was a fair settlement instead: The United States would get about two times as much of the disputed area as Canada.
Britain accepted the proposal by the king of the Netherlands. The United States did not. The United States refused, because the state of Maine would not accept it.
In 1838, Britain withdrew its acceptance of the proposal. And Canadians entered the disputed area. The governor of Maine sent state forces to the area. The soldiers drove out the Canadians and built forts. Canada, too, began to prepare for war.

-Andrew Suttis