Post-war Canadian foreign policy has been characterized by two enduring themes - an ongoing commitment to multilateralism on the one hand, and a substantial commitment to continentalism on the other. In the early 1970s the post-war structures for international politics and economics entered a period that led to a dramatic transformation based on the relative decline of the United States (punctuated by the end of the cold war), the rise of economic interdependence and the new internationalism, and the emergence of citizen-centered foreign policy. These three factors have had a substantial impact on both Canada's role in the world and its relationships with its main political and economic partners.

In Canada, Latin America, and the New Internationalism Brian Stevenson argues that Canada's foreign policy toward Latin America has been profoundly affected by these three factors and has evolved in response to both changing domestic demands and shifting international circumstances. By analysing a pivotal period in Canada-Latin American relations, he shows us how successive Canadian governments made important initiatives toward closer relationships with Latin America and were also pressured by non-governmental organizations to play a bigger role in the region. Canada's increased role can be seen in official foreign policy commitments, such as the decision to join the Organization of American States, and in policy decisions on political refugees. He explains that while the United States has played a key role in sometimes constraining Canadian foreign policy in the region, it is important to realize that Canadian foreign policy has been steadied by a long-standing tradition of internationalism.

Canada, Latin America, and the New Internationalism demonstrates that the tradition of internationalism in Canadian foreign policy as viewed from the perspective of foreign policy analysis provides the framework within which to understand and accommodate changes in its policy toward Latin America. The period which the book explores is critical in order to understand the contemporary nature and future direction of Canada-Latin America relations.