Separated by the world’s longest land border and engaging in over three billion dollars in trade daily, Canada and the United States share security concerns, cultural interests, and a history spanning more than 250 years. Alan Rock, former Canadian ambassador to the United States, has said that this special relationship represents “a bond that is beyond practical. It borders on mystical.” The rise of nativist sentiment, however, has raised concerns over preserving this relationship.

History Has Made Us Friends illuminates the nature and dynamics of Canada-US relations, examining their history, attributed meaning, and conceptualization. Contributors consider many angles and perspectives, including the impact of geopolitical change, to determine whether the relationship warrants the moniker “special.” They explore whether shared values and demographic similarities continue to cement the relationship, and if it still matters whether presidents and prime ministers get along.

While things look different today from when President Kennedy declared, “What unites us is far greater than what divides us,” History Has Made Us Friends argues that the Canada-US relationship – often narrowly understood or dismissed as a relic of the past – continues to be unique and resilient.

Donald E. Abelson is professor and chair, political science, and co-director, Centre for American Studies, The University of Western Ontario. He is the author of Do Think Tanks Matter? Assessing the Impact of Public Policy Institutes.

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Stephen Brooks is Professor of Political Science at the University of Windsor and teaches political science at the University of Michigan. He has written several books on American politics including As Others See Us: The Causes and Consequences of Foreign Perceptions of America (2006) and American Exceptionalism in the Age of Obama (2013).

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“A must-read for scholars in foreign policy, History Has Made Us Friends puts the special relationship between Canada and the United States front and centre, conveying the origins and development of that relationship and how it plays out in a variety of issue areas.” Patrick James, University of Southern California