While on tour for his new Book: The Black Book of Canadian Foreign Policy, author Yves Engler spoke at the KWCCSJ about Canada's international role in abuse of human rights and the country's hidden history of military intervention abroad.

About the book

The Black Book of Canadian Foreign Policy is the first serious critical overview of Canada's role on the world stage. 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, this country has been part of an anti-democratic command and control apparatus of the world economic system from its beginning. At first Canada served as an arm of the British Empire, then quickly became intertwined with the USA. From troops that joined the British in Sudan in 1885 and the thousands of Canadians who pillaged and murdered the Boers during the war of 1898-1902 in South Africa, 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 and assisting in the ouster of Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana, to critical support for Zionism and a pro-American role during the war in Vietnam, to helping overthrow the elected Salvador Allende and supporting the dictator Pinochet in Chile, to Haiti and Canadian mining companies operating around the world today, the book sheds light on the many dark corners of Canadian foreign policy.

About the author
Yves Engler is the author of two books: Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority (with Anthony Fenton) and Playing Left Wing: From Rink Rat to Student Radical. Both books are published by RED/Fernwood.

The Kitchener Waterloo Centre for Social Justice is located at 63 Courtland Ave in Kitchener. 5 mins walk from the Charles Street Bus Terminal, it is just east of the intersection of Courtland and Benton.

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