Walking the Line: Canadian Federalism,the Council of Ministers of Education,and the Case of International Education, 1970–1984

This article will examine Canadian politicians’ and administrators’ leadership in the realm of education‐related international activities. In the era between the 1960s and the 1980s, it became increasingly difficult for educational leaders to walk the line dividing federal and provincial responsibility in this field. Educational authorities at the federal and provincial levels were collectively ill‐prepared to address the question of ‘diplomacy’ in a field of provincial responsibility. Instead, there were a whole series of mis‐steps on one or other sides of the line. Moreover, the executive level interaction that characterized this period was marked by developing federal authority, a federal government increasingly focused on power, and one which wanted greater control over the issue. Additionally, as is the case when having difficulty with ‘walking the line’ and passing a sobriety test, this was a federalism characterized by misunderstandings, provisional accords, and last minute compromises.