A Cooperative Disagreement

Agree to disagree? A Cooperative Disagreement demonstrates how Canada and the United States – neighbours by geography and close allies by design – successfully kept their differences over revolutionary Cuba from permanently damaging their relationship.

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A Cooperative Disagreement demonstrates how Canada and the United States successfully kept divergent policies on revolutionary Cuba from damaging their bilateral relationship. Covering the period from 1959 to the end of the Cold War, John Dirks investigates the efforts of Canadian and US diplomats and bureaucrats to cooperate despite their respective approaches toward Cuba. Washington sought the downfall of the communist regime through political and economic isolation. Ottawa chose engagement instead. The burden fell largely on Canada, as the smaller power, to mitigate potential frictions. Ultimately, these two North American powers continued to adhere to the hard policy boundaries set by their own governments while establishing a mutually beneficial relationship on issues of intelligence, travel, and other areas of engagement with Cuba. Drawing on archival documents from both sides of the border, many newly declassified, this comprehensive study reveals how officials in Ottawa and Washington managed to preserve bilateral harmony despite ongoing policy divergence