With Them And Against Them: Canada's Relations With Nicaragua, 1979-1990
Loading...
Authors
Bishop, Adam
Advisor
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
Canada's relations with Nicaragua changed greatly during the 1980s after the Sandinista NationalLiberation Front (FSLN) came to power in a revolution which overthrew the Somoza dynasty. For thefirst few years of the new regime in Nicaragua, Canada provided little support, declaring thatCanadians had no significant interests in the country and there was no reason for them to get involvedin Central America's ongoing conflicts. When Brian Mulroney first came to power with Joe Clark ashis Secretary of State for External Affairs, the Progressive Conservatives generally held to the courseset by the previous Liberal government. However, as the 1980s went on the Conservatives beganproviding Nicaragua with more bilateral aid, and became increasingly involved in the regional peaceprocess known as Esquipulas; this culminated in Canadian peacekeepers entering the region in 1990 aspart of a UN peacekeeping force. The major impetus for the government's change in attitude was thestrong and consistent pressure placed on the government by the Canadian public. Aid raised privatelyby Canadians for Nicaragua overshadowed government aid for much of the decade, making thegovernment response look weak. The support of the Canadian public for action in Central Americawas the major factor which pressured the federal government into becoming more involved inNicaragua, even though the government was not as supportive of the new regime in Nicaragua as alarge portion of the Canadian public often was.