Halifax, NS

The Black Book of Canadian Foreign Policy

Book launch with author Yves Engler

6:30pm
Friday May 22 2009

Join author Yves Engler for the launch of his new book:

THE BLACK BOOK OF CANADIAN FOREIGN POLICY
available now from Fernwood Publishing

Book launch and presentation:
"Canada on the world stage: A force for good or bad actor?"

This book could change how you see Canada. Numerous studies have found that Canadians’ self-appraisal of their country’s foreign policy is more positive than any other country. Most believe Canada’s primary role has been as peacekeeper or honest broker in difficult-to-solve disputes. But, contrary to the mythology of Canada as a force for good in the world, The Black Book of Canadian Foreign Policy sheds light on many dark corners of Canadian foreign policy: From troops that joined the British in Sudan in 1885 to gunboat diplomacy in the Caribbean and aspirations of Central American empire, to participation in the UN mission that killed Patrice Lumumba in the Congo, to important support for apartheid South Africa, Zionism and the US war in Vietnam, to helping overthrow Salvador Allende and supporting the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile, to Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan today.

"We bear responsibility for what governments do in the world, primarily our own, but secondarily those we can influence, our allies in particular. Yves Engler's penetrating inquiry yields a rich trove of valuable evidence about Canada's role in the world, and poses a challenge for citizens who are willing to take their fundamental responsibilities seriously."
-Noam Chomsky

"Engler has done for Canadian foreign policy what I tried to do for United States foreign policy in my book 'Killing Hope' -- cover each region of the world, showing how 'peaceful, benevolent, altruistic Canada' has, on numerous occasions, served as an integral part of Western imperialism, particularly the American version, helping to keep the Third World down and in its place. From Vietnam to Haiti, Canada has served the political and economic demands of US foreign policy and the multinational corporations. The picture that emerges is not the image of Canada the world has long admired."
-William Blum

For more information:
blackbook.foreignpolicy.ca
(902) 488-6071

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