One of Canada's most senior observers of foreign affairs considers and reflects on the nature of the Canadian-US relationship since the Second World War. He starts with the Canadian ideas after that war for involving, and containing, the United States in the work of the United Nations. Then he considers the formal and informal means of conducting relations between two such unequal powers, and concludes with some advice of that conduct in the new age apparently being introduced by the Reagan administration. He stresses the unique heritage of Canada and the compatibility of social and political differentiation in North Amerca with the intelligent management of the continent and with free association in international relations. Deep thoughts are lightly expressed in this distillation of nearly forty years' experience and study.

John Holmes (1910-1988) was a diplomat and scholar. He joined the Department of External Affairs and was there until 1960, when he left the public service to become President/Director General of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs till 1973. He was a Visiting Professor of International Relations at the University of Toronto from 1967 until his death.

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