On The Contractual Link Between The Pierre Trudeau Government And The European Community(1968-1977)

This article aims at discussing the contractual link between the Pierre Trudeaugovernment and the European Community. According to the chronological order, thisarticle will analyze the impact of the contractual link on the relationship between Canadaand European Community in three aspects: the background of the contractual link; thecourse of the establishment of the contractual link; and the influence of the contractuallink.Pierre Elliott Trudeau was one of the most prominent prime ministers of the Canada.Because of his contribution, the historians always call his tenure the “age of Trudeau”. Theearly age of his term, when the world was taking place great changes, witnessed therelaxation between the U.S. and the Soviet, the reviving of the Western Europe and Japan,and the rising of the third world. In this very circumstance, the foreign policy wasreviewed by the Trudeau government. Affected by the economic crisis in the1970s, thevulnerability of Canada’s economy came out of the surface. Facing these severe conditionsat home and aboard, the Trudeau government decided to lessen the dependency on theAmerican economy through the cooperation with the European Community.The European Community, which was the best regional integration organization, hada great development through the1960s, receiving more and more attention from the rest ofthe world. However, comparing with the economic integration, the political integrationdidn’t go well at that time. The main cause was the debate on the supranationalism andintergovernmentalism. On the one hand, for the European Community’s interests, theEuropean Commission always desired to enhance the diplomatic ability of the EC. On theother hand, the Western European countries generated the idea that getting rid of thecontrol of the America with the development of the social economy. It was the same objectthat made the Trudeau government and the EC strengthen their cooperation.However, the obstacles, came from different parties, blocked the establishment of the contractual link. Only after these obstacles were removed, could the contractual link beestablished. Hence, this article will also analyze the obstacles and the measures carried outby the Trudeau government, in paralled with the review of the development of thecontractual link. Finally, this article will estimate the influence of the contractual link onthe relationship between Canada and EC fairly.