Tolerant Allies draws extensively on recently declassified Canadian and American sources to explore the most important political, economic, and military elements in the bilateral relationship during the 1960s. Greg Donaghy challenges the prevailing view that relations during this turbulent decade were primarily marked by mutual hostility, the product of growing Canadian nationalism and differences over the war in Vietnam. Instead Donaghy argues that through the Autopact and the GATT, Canada and the United States crafted a new economic partnership that tied the two countries together more tightly than ever before.
Donaghy shows that economic integration was offset to some extent by diverging views on Western political and military strategy. As Pearson's government pursued distinct foreign and defence policies, American policy-makers acknowledged that Canadian objectives legitimately differed from their own and adjusted their policies accordingly. For its part, Ottawa rarely moved without weighing the impact its initiatives might have on Washington. As a result, Canada and the United States found ways to accommodate each other's interests without seriously impairing bilateral cooperation.

Greg Donaghy is Head of the Historical Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and General Editor of its series, Documents on Canadian External Relations. His publications include Tolerant Allies: Canada and the United States, 1963-68, and the edited collection (with Patricia Roy) Contradictory Impulses: Canada and Japan in the 20th Century.

Greg Donaghy's profile page

"The first systematic study of Canada-US relations during the Pearson years. Donaghy allows us to see each event and circumstance in a broad context, fully explaining for the first time how agreement such as the Auto-Pact came about. Time after time, I found myself informed and enlightened. This is an important subject covered in a useful and informative way. There is no competition currently in the field, and to say that Donaghy will fill the gap understates the case." Robert Bothwell, director, International Relations Program, University of Toronto

"I am impressed by the quality of the research. Donaghy has clearly mined the sources with care in Canada and in the United States, including the US presidential libraries. He demonstrates an excellent knowledge of the current literature in the field and will add to our understanding of Canada-US relations in the Pearson years." Stephen Randall, dean, Social Sciences, University of Calgary

"Greg Donaghy has performed an important service in providing us with this detailed and useful chronicle of Canada-United States relations during the Pearson-Johnson years. The story may be familiar to some and has been told before, but never with such careful attention to detail, based on such an exhaustive review of the archives and other primary sources, and providing such a comprehensive account. The result is a compelling narrative and a convincing explanation of these important years in Canada's development as a nation. It is likely to become the standard account of these years." Michael Hart, Policy Options

"The definitive study of Canada-US relations for these years . This authoritative study catches the flavour of those years of change" The International History Review