Elusive partners: defining Canada's relationship with Brazil in the 21st century

Abstract

Over the course of the past several decades, Canada's bilateral relationship with Brazil has been something of an enigma, marked both by periods of productive collaboration and relatively intense diplomatic conflict. In order to gain a broader understanding of the nature and consequences of this interaction, this paper explores recent patterns of bi-national exchange in three critical areas: diplomacy, economic trade and the movement of people. By examining linkages across the three areas, the analysis reveals a much more complex pattern of interaction between the two countries than has been previously imagined, particularly with respect to the impact of Canada-Brazil diplomatic interchange on the other two areas under study - trade and mobility. In addition, it reveals at least some tendency towards homogenisation of trends with respect to both diplomatic relations and mobility that may finally pave the way towards improvement in trade and the emerge of a more positive and sustainable relationship between the two countries in general.