| Summary/Abstract |
Many scholars have noted that Pierre Trudeau became a stronger supporter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the mid-1970s, and the common wisdom is that he was forced into this change to appease allies. Canada was looking to develop trade links with Western Europe, and allies, notably West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, told Canada to beef up its defences if it wanted trade. Although there is evidence to support this argument, it has obscured other critical reasons. This paper argues that Trudeau came to support NATO because of an acceptance of the alliance’s role in maintaining the balance of power between East and West and Schmidt’s accommodating, rather than mercenary, approach.
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