Canada enjoys a reputation as a peaceable kingdom and a refuge from militarism.Yet Canadians during the Vietnam War era met American war resisters not with open arms but with political obstacles and public resistance, and the border remained closed to what were then called “draft dodgers” and “deserters.”

Between 1965 and 1973, a small but active cadre of Canadian antiwar groups and peace activists launched campaigns to open the border. Jessica Squires tells their story, often in their own words. Interviews and government documents reveal that although these groups ultimately met with success – in the process shaping Canadian identity and Canada’s relationship with the United States – they had to overcome state surveillance and resistance from police, politicians, and bureaucrats.

Building Sanctuary not only brings to light overlooked links between the anti-draft movement and Canadian immigration policy – it challenges cherished notions about Canadian identity and Canada in the 1960s.

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Jessica Squires is an independent scholar of Canadian political, social, and cultural history who lives and works in Gatineau, Quebec.