Is Canada a Peacekeeping Nation? A Resource for History Teachers

Abstract

Inspired by Canada’s 150th anniversary, we want our students to question and unpack commonly understood tenets of Canadian identity, in particular our national reputation as a peacekeeping country. Our intention is also to help students frame their own opinions about our national identity with historical evidence and analysis rather than stereotypes they may commonly hear (i.e. Canadians are ‘nice’ and always apologize). Canada’s status as a peacekeeper in particular is highly relevant to current international affairs, and Canada’s involvement in civil war and strife in countries such as Syria. Instead of having a self-congratulatory and surface-level understanding of Canada’s involvement, we want students to probe deeply through an exploration of historical events and ideas.