translate English to French: Before Canada became an independent sovereign state, a process that occurred over a number of years, Canada's EXTERNAL RELATIONS were controlled by Britain, which negotiated, signed and ratified treaties on behalf of the British Empire, which included Canada.
Avant que le Canada n'obtienne au fil des ans le statut d'État indépendant et souverain, lesRELATIONS EXTÉRIEURESétaient régies par la Grande-Bretagne, qui négociait, signait et ratifiait les traités au nom de l'Empire britannique, y compris du Canada.