This series consists of correspondence, briefing material, position papers, task force findings, situation reports, press clippings, rare (foreign) publications, press releases, itineraries, agendas, conference proceedings, political discussion notes, manuscript notes, presentations, addresses and speeches. This series also contains information on the visits of Canadian External Affairs ministers (Clark, McDougall and Landry) to various Third World countries, for which McLean was almost always a point-man.
This series best sets out Canada's political positions on issues troubling the Third World and on programs of aid and development. It brings together the information and actions of various governments, international agencies (both permanent and temporary) and N.G.O.'s as they addressed issues of concern in these areas.
This series holds information on conferences, meetings and consultations abroad dealing with Third World poverty, and the imperative for, and attempts at, economic development and the development of human rights. While Latin and Central American countries are represented in this series, its main weight deals with Africa states, especially Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and, above all, South Africa, and the Canadian-led attack against apartheid.
This series also reflects the activity of key international agencies working in the sphere of alleviation of Third World burdens, such as: Commonwealth Heads of Government, Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on South Africa, African Development Bank, Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference, Association of Western European Parliamentarians Against Apartheid. The work of "think tanks", such as the Aspen Institute, the Afro-American Institute for Peace and the U.S. Institute for Peace, is also reflected in this series.
This series also contains files interspersed throughout it detailing McLean's relations with representatives of African countries stationed in Ottawa.
Finally, in addition to detailing Canada's international role in the struggle to end apartheid, this series also reflects Canada's role in other areas of international concern and endeavour, such as peace and security, human rights, disarmament and development.
