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I. INTRODUCTION
CANADA and Cuba have a history lasting over three centuries that revolves around mutually beneficial financial interests. The timing of U.S. embargoes on Cuba and the Canadian Prime Ministers' desires to foster their country's relationship with Cuba led to a staggering boost in tourism and trade. But recent improvement in relations between the United States and Cuba, along with the negative treatment of Cuba by Canada's current Prime Minster, have unraveled much of that good will and damaged relations between the two countries.
II. HISTORY OF CANADA-CUBA RELATIONS
Relations between Canada and Cuba can be traced back to the eighteenth century, when Canada began to trade codfish and beer for Cuban rum and sugar.1 Cuba was the first country in the Caribbean region that Canada chose for a diplomatic mission.2 Relations remained positive and continued to improve through the next two centuries. Two of Canada's largest banks, Bank of Nova Scotia and Royal Bank of Canada, both opened offices and greatly expanded in Cuba by 1906.3 Canadian farmers would often migrate to Cuba to chase new crops, such as sugar.4 An official diplomatic relationship was established in 1945, just eight years before the start of the Cuban Revolution, when Prime Minister King appointed Emile Vaillancourt as the Canadian Minister to Cuba.5 Cuba appointed its own minister to Canada that same year.6 By 1950, both countries had upgraded their ministers to ambassadors.7
After the Cuban Revolution ended in 1959, Canada was one of the only two countries in the western hemisphere to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba.8 When Fidel Castro seized power over Cuba, the United States' control over the hemisphere was challenged and the relationship between the two countries ended.9 But Prime Minister Diefenbaker spurned the United States and instead set Canada's own foreign policy in regard to Cuba.10 Canada was not a member of the Organization of American States and had no obligation to follow the United States in its embargo.11 Cuba desired to establish its own economic partners and replace the goods and services originally imported from the United States.12 Canada was a powerful choice due to its proximity, technological similarity, and prior relations with Cuba.
But Canada's foreign policy after the Cuban Revolution prohibited the shipment of arms, munitions,...