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History Social History

Building Sanctuary

The Movement to Support Vietnam War Resisters in Canada, 1965-73

by (author) Jessica Squires

Publisher
UBC Press
Initial publish date
Sep 2013
Category
Social History, General, Post-Confederation (1867-)
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780774825269
    Publish Date
    Sep 2013
    List Price
    $34.95
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780774825245
    Publish Date
    Oct 2013
    List Price
    $95.00
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780774825252
    Publish Date
    Jul 2014
    List Price
    $34.95

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Description

Canada enjoys a reputation as a peaceable kingdom and a refuge from militarism.Yet Canadians during the Vietnam War era met American war resisters not with open arms but with political obstacles and public resistance, and the border remained closed to what were then called “draft dodgers” and “deserters.”

 

Between 1965 and 1973, a small but active cadre of Canadian antiwar groups and peace activists launched campaigns to open the border. Jessica Squires tells their story, often in their own words. Interviews and government documents reveal that although these groups ultimately met with success – in the process shaping Canadian identity and Canada’s relationship with the United States – they had to overcome state surveillance and resistance from police, politicians, and bureaucrats.

 

Building Sanctuary not only brings to light overlooked links between the anti-draft movement and Canadian immigration policy – it challenges cherished notions about Canadian identity and Canada in the 1960s.

About the author

Contributor Notes

Jessica Squires is an independent scholar of Canadian political, social, and cultural history who lives and works in Gatineau, Quebec.