Canadian heritage and The Friendly Frontier

Like most of us who are sheltering, I’ve had time to do some pandemic cleaning,

So, I found several old books that seem to be new again. In fact, that’s how I found “The Friendly Frontier: The Story of the Canadian-American Border”, by Edith Patterson Meyer with illustrations by W. T. Mars. It was hidden among my stacks!

Canadian border history

Published in 1962

This history was published in 1962, by Little, Brown and Company, in Canada. In my opinion, this book might help us to better understand the American-Canadian alliance, and how important the border has been for French-Canadians and the Franco-American immigrant families.

A few years ago, this border history might have seemed remote or archaic. But now, the United States and Canada border is temporarily closed, to help prevent the community spread of the coronavirus. So, it is ironic, to say the least, or maybe even a bit prophetic, to read the chapter titled, “Partner for Protection”. This particular chapter, published in 1962, provides context about how a decision to close borders at this time might not be such a good idea.

The Friendly Frontier

Excllent illustrations by W. T. Mars

In a previous blog, I wrote about how the international border closure has been impacting some Franco-American families. Read the previous story at this link here.

Meyer reported about the border’s history between the U.S. and Canada and, in so doing, gave a lesson worth repeating. In retrospect, after reading this information, it occurred to me that the people living in both nations might be safer if Canadians and Americans worked together to solve the coronavirus spread, rather than to seal off our borders by responding independently to stopping the spread of the pandemic.

It was French explorers that were among the first to appreciate the importance of the land we know today as Canada. Meyer wrote how the young Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), probably came to the Banks of Newfoundland with fishermen from Brittany and looked longingly at the forests and mountains that lay back of the shore. Cartier promised, he would return some day, not to fish but to explore the unknown land.  During the Age of Discovery, some thought that the rivers in Canada offered a waterway to Asia. Cartier was commissioned by the French king to search for a northwest passage to India and, in passing, to claim all the land along the way, for France. But it was Samuel Champlain, the royal French geographer, who had the idea of creating a New France along the St. Lawrence River in the New World. Money to fund the colonization was to come from the lucrative fur trade. As a result, Meyer wrote, “Champlain worked night and day to make New France strong and prosperous.”

But, the international conflicts in Europe spilled over into the New World. Consequently, the relationship between Canada, and the British colonies erupted into several wars and disputes over fur trading and fishing rights.  All that changed after World War I.

Meanwhile, French-Canadian immigration into New England and Maine began before the border with Canada was even formalized after the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. In fact, the Webster–Ashburton Treaty, signed August 9, 1842, resolved several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies (the region that became Canada).

Chapter: Partners for Protection – published in 1962:

World War I completely changed Canadians’ ideas about the defense of their country. Up to this time, their one thought had been to protect themselves from attack by the United States. And no wonder, in view of the several official and unofficial American invasions, added to the startling ideas of expansion held by some Americans. But the First World War brought home to Canadians the fact that Canada and the United Staes were two “naturally interlocked nations”. If anything happened in North America as a result of the trouble in Europe, it would happen not to Canada or the United States but to Canada and the United States. Almost everyone could see that it was not only important for the two countries to stand together; it was imperative.

And this is the prophetic part of this chapter…..”both countries (the U.S. and Canada) agree that in this perilous period of the world’s history this (cooperation) must and can be done. As someone has cleverly and truly said: ‘The price of peace is cooperation and the prize of cooperation is peace’.”

Unfortunately, the current border closure appears to be in place, at least until September 21st, while tensions about how to cooperate are apparently continuing, as per this Canadian Broadcasting reports from Ottawa:  “OTTAWA — Canadian and U.S. officials have agreed to keep the border between the two countries closed to non-essential travel for another month. This comes as both countries are still working to stop the spread of COVID-19, and as tensions continue to flare between Canadians and prospective American visitors. The current extension of the cross-border agreement expired on August 21, though as the spread of COVID-19 continued in both countries, the restrictions on recreational travel will remain in place until at least Sept. 21.”

The Friendly Frontier with Canada extends along nearly four thousand miles of land and water. A bronze plaque located on the international bridge in Ontario reads, “This unfortified boundary line between the Dominion of Canada and the United State of America should quicken the remembrances of the more than a century old friendship between the two countries, a lesson of peace to all nations.”

Juliana L'Heureux

About Juliana L'Heureux

Juliana L’Heureux is a free lance writer who publishes news, blogs and articles about Franco-Americans and the French culture. She has written about the culture in weekly and bi-weekly articles, for the past 30 years.