Castro couldn’t get enough of that Canadian maple syrup
by Obscure_Occultist
Castro couldn’t get enough of that Canadian maple syrup
by Obscure_Occultist
15 Comments
Overlysimplified Context: Following the Cuban revolution of 1953. Fidel Castro would nationalize the assets owned by various foreign corporations and nations. This included American, British and Dutch companies. Everyone Canadian owned corporation. They were spared from the nationalization by personal order of Castro. For at least a year, long enough for Canadian companies to evacuate as much assets out of the country. When Cuba eventually did nationalize Canadian assets in Cuba. Canadians were the sole recipient of financial compensation for their loss of property.
Now you may be wondering why did Canadians recieved such special treatment? Was there any strong economic, cultural or political ties between Havana and Cuba? Weirdly enough, no. Canadian-Cuban relations were practically non-existent before Castro.
The answer lies with Canadian prime minister John Diefenbaker and his interesting relationship with the US of A. The first thing you should know about Diefenbaker was that he was that he was the quintessential cold warrior. He was such a staunch anti-communist. He thought *Eisenhower* was too soft on communism and that JFK was basically a communist.
So how does a staunch anti-communist maintain friendly relationships with communist revolutionary Fidel Castro? Easy. He didn’t think he was a communist. At first. Diefenbaker believed that Cuba becoming communist wasn’t a forgone conclusion and viewed Castro more as a nationalist then a socialist. If given proper respect, then Cuba would remain a western ally. Diefenbaker would ultimately be proven correct after US aggression against Castro basically push them into the soviet bloc.
Even after Cuba alignment to Moscow, Diefenbaker not just continued Canadian relationship with Cuba but expanded it. Increasing trade and economic investment in the island even after Cuba was subjected to western sanctions. In fact, Canada, alongside Mexico would be the only two countries in the Americas to not issue an embargo on Cuba. A relationship that frustrated Washington enough for them to issue its own sanctions on Canada to limit its trade with Cuba.
Nevertheless, Canadian-Cuban relationship deepen throughout the cold war, especially under the Trudeu Sr tenure as prime minister where Cuban officials agreed to house exiled Quebec separatists following the October crisis of 1970. You’d think this would cause a diplomatic incident but no, apperantly Cuba aided Canadian counter terrorist efforts by actively discouraging Marxist leninist aligned Quebec separatists.
The zenith of Canadian-Cuban relationship would be the funeral of Pierre Elliot Trudeu, where Castro was invited to be one of Trudeu pallbearers.
Proof that being polite is the ultimate cheat code for international relations.
Just ask the Trudeaus!
Canada got a lot of empathy for the Cuban people and, at least the Quebecers, get along pretty well with them. That used to be a very popular destination for Quebecers who desperately needed a vitamin D shot in winter.
Do not think it got something to do with liking or supporting Castro or something. It’s more like respect for a bunch of underdogs, like us, who struggle with their former Catholicism, like us, and try to be secular, like us, believe in community, like us and like party, like us.
I went to Cuba before COVID and it looked like it was going somewhere. There were cell towers and fraking installations pretty much everywhere, people were riding in Toyota’s, but not Hiluxes, Corollas. There was economic tension of course, but people were fat, which is always a good indicator in a starvation prone country.
My ex went to Cuba this Christmas and what she witnessed is a decline on all metrics. Not many cars on sight anymore, Tuk Tuks, tourists resorts with almost no food beside corn beef, oranges, rice and corn. People were skinny. They went to a town to partake in the Christmas party, and people looked despondent. Cubans are usually a handy and make-do people, but she witnessed a lot of apathy.
“Will people revolt or something?” I asked. ” I don’t think they even can, they look too weak.” She said. Usually Canada used to pitch in when Cuba was in a bad spot, but this time, we’ve got too many problems to do so
. Cuba owes Canada a lot of money, and how do they pay Canada back ? By letting Canada mine natural resources like cobalt and nickel, yes for EV’s. Anyway… I’m responding to a cartoon of SpongeBob that’s supposed to illustrate political affairs between Canada and Cuba… I’ll see myself out of this kindergarten classroom
Don’t be mean to Justin’s dad!
The Canada-Cuba connection goes back to the dawn of Railroads. The head of the CPR after conquering the trans-canada railroad set his sights on the island nation. He drove the railroad across the island connecting all of the areas of cane production to new more improved sugar facilities and ports. No more wooden axle carts. During the revolution Canadian businesses seeing the problem arising took a neutral stance and still had goods imported into the country buying them time to hopefully save some of their personal and equipment. Then during the later years the Canadian government sent them supplies and even through government owned entities sent them things they weren’t allowed to aquire such as railroad locomotives through Canadian National Railways, GMC trucks through government offsale, ect…
The First Lady of Canada bouncing on it for Fidel helps too
Its because his bastard son was our prime minister.
Wonder why
Cuba only opened up to Canada once the Soviet Union collapsed. Otherwise they viewed Canada similar to other western countries(less cautious than USA).
Fun Fact.
One of the many reasons Richard Nixon hated Pierre Trudeau so much was that after a lunch meeting, Trudeau boarded a plane, and flew to Cuba and had dinner with Castro.
This pissed off Nixon immensely, calling the gesture insulting.
Canadians just laughed.
By syrup you mean Margaret Trudeau juice?
It’s pretty good syrup tho
Also 🇷🇺