Essay - Canada-us Relationship Introduction Canada and the United States Enjoy the...

Canada-US Relationship

Introduction

***** and the United States enjoy the world's longest unprotected border, ***** world's largest trading relationship and a long history of close and cordial relations. The two nations are presently working together on a number of key issues, including terrorism, trade and issues of ***** security. The t*****e of the relationship at any given time is typically set by the political ideologies ***** the respective nation's leaders. So while the Liberal Chrètien government sparred with the Bush administration over a ***** of key issues, the Conservative Harper g*****nment brought ***** two nations closer together. ***** twin objectives of this paper are to examine some of the ***** issues that characterize the present ***** relationship between Canada and the United ***** ***** to analyze the impact that the Obama administration is expected to have in this relationship over the next few years. The political situation in Canada is less certa*****, with the Harper g*****nment narrowly holding onto its minority government.

Political uncertainty on the Canadian side of the border aside, I intend this paper to show that the relationship between Canada and ***** ***** States is not only strong, but it will grow stronger over the ***** few *****. Th***** ***** occur because ***** administrations of both nations, at least as far as is manifested by the minority Harper government, ***** close in their views on the most important ********** in the bilateral agreement. This congruence will allow ***** ***** administrations to work *****gether more closely than even Harper-*****, ***** certainly more ***** than Chrètien-Bush.

***** Issues: Terrorism/Afghanistan

Following the September 11th terrorist attacks, a new relationship was forged between the United States and Canada with respect to terrorism. The notion that terrorist ***** could hit Toron***** or Ottawa in the same way ***** they hit New York ***** Washington, DC ***** frightening for the Chrètien administration. They quickly joined the Bush administration in the so-called "war on terror," and became part of the NATO coaliti***** that eventually *****vaded Afghanistan ***** deposed ***** Taliban. Both Canada and the United States have remained in Afghanistan ever since.

In that *****, the US invasion and occupation of Iraq distracted US military forces, which has proved to be a bone of contention ***** ***** two *****. With limited US presence in Afghanistan and the majority ***** NATO allies unwill*****g ***** put ***** troops into ***** nation's ***** troubled regions, the Canadian military ***** been burdened with a large share of the duty. The resulting casualties have made Afghanistan a major political issue for ***** Harper government, which has now set a timetable ***** withdrawal of Canadian combat ***** in the region ***** 2011.

Complicating the issue is the fact that the security situation in Afghan*****tan has worsened ***** 2004. Both Canadians and members within ***** W*****e House agree that the Afghan mission has gone astray, and is presently without a clear sense of direction. ***** Obama administration ***** ordered a strategic review of the issue to be completed by early April