Documenting the Diplomats: The Origins and Evolution of Documents on Canadian External Relations

This article explores the origins and evolution of Documents on Canadian External Relations, a primary source compilation of historical material published by Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. It describes the public policy imperatives that prompted the department to launch its historical series in the period immediately after World War II. More important, it explores how the series was shaped and re-shaped through a critical dialogue between public and private historians, as questions of access, declassification, and academic accountability collided with the department's own evolving policy objectives.