Canada, 1939-1945: Caught between Churchill and FDR – Dr Olivier Courteaux

Speaker: Dr Olivier Courteaux, Historian on Franco-European relations

Between 1939 and 1945, Canada found itself diplomatically positioned between two global giants – Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Prime Minister Mackenzie King sought to mediate and maintain harmony between them. Hosting the Quebec Conferences, Canada played a symbolic yet vital role in Allied cooperation. The unexpected collapse of France in the spring of 1940 presented unprecedented challenges, not least because Canadians were split on the issue of supporting either Vichy or the Free French. This period shaped Canada’s identity as a middle power, highlighting its contributions to the war effort and its evolving independence from British imperial influence.

Note: This is the sixth of our International Canadian lectures.

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