Canada Vs. U.S.A
When President W. Bush of the United States began his war against Iraq and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime, something happened in North America that hasn't happened very frequently. Canada and the United States disagreed.
Jean Chrétien said that Canada would not offer troops to Gulf War II but would help in the reconstruction of Iraq. This was accepted by almost all except from Official Opposition Canadian Alliance. This has been met with overwhelming support (about 70%) in Canada, while opposition to war in the United States is bellow 50%. This is not the first time Canada and the United States disagreed. And I'd rather talk about that, than the mass demonstrations that occurred in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver before and after the War on Iraq began. So here is Canada-US conflicts since the creation of the new republic south of the border.
1776: US Independance and the failed invasion of Canada While the 13 colonies successfully won their independance and created a Union, their plans brought on two conflicts between the US and the then Province of Quebec (what Canada was called between 1774 and 1791): The failed invasion of Quebec City (despite Montreal's occupation for a few days) kept Canada under British Rule and the large amount of American refugees that entered Canada after intolerance to their monarchist beliefs by the new independent citizens.
1812: The War of 1812 and the second failed invasion of Canada The Second failed invasion of Upper and Lower Canada came under President Madison and a largely hawkish government that wished to see a completely Republican and United English-Speaking North America. Canadian militias and British regulars were victorious in keeping the American troops out of the colonies. Canucks and Brits were even able to capture the capital, Washington and burn down Congress, the Presidential Palace and other governmental buildings, a sort of revenge for the American's sacking of York, the Upper Canadian capital. Canucks see this war as a victory (as Canada managed to remain independant) while Yankees consider it a stalemate (as both countries remained after the war much like they did before).
1844: "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!" At the time Oregon/British Columbia was both a claim of the United Kingdom and the United States. The Presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, Polk ran under the slogan Fifty-Four Forty or Fight! Which was the latitude at which the Republic should extend. A Compromise was reached despite the hawkish promise between the 54.40 latitude and the 42 degree latitude British North America was seeking. The 49th parallel remains the border between our two countries.
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