The Third Option was a proposal from

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

Secretary of State for External Affairs Minister Mitchell Sharp in 1972 which would have reduced

trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. Traders generally negotiate through a medium of cr ...

and

cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

relations between Canada and the United States and allowed for more diversification of

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agreements. Sharp's proposal was a clear rejection of the "

status quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...

" and of closer relations with the United States. The proposal would have been achieved by "develop(ing) and strengthen(ing) the Canadian economy and other aspects of its national life and in the process reduce the present Canadian vulnerability." However, the Third Option proposal eventually disappeared as the Mulroney Ministry took over.

External links

"Third Option"
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' 1972 in Canada Canada–United States relations 1972 in international relations {{US-gov-stub

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External links