For over four decades, Canada has played a pivotal yet little-known role in Libya’s history. In Targeting Libya, investigative journalist Owen Schalk examines how Canadian business and government actors influenced Libya’s fate, from the rise and fall of Muammar Qadhafi to the country’s ongoing instability in the present day. Schalk details the beginnings of Canadian business and government dealings in Libya, curiously timed visits by federal cabinet ministers, Canadian military participation in the 2011 NATO-led bombing of the country, CSIS collaboration with Libyan intelligence agencies, the SNC-Lavalin corruption scandal that plagued the Trudeau government, the criminal conviction of senior executives for bribery in the Canadian courts, and more.

A compelling account of military intervention, corporate power, and the realpolitik of international affairs, Targeting Libya will appeal to those interested in global politics, military history, and Canada’s evolving role on the world stage. Owen Schalk dismantles the myth of Canada as a neutral peacekeeper, revealing how corporate and political interests have driven decisions with lasting consequences for Libya and beyond.