Canadian Diplomacy Amidst Geopolitical Uncertainty

On October 30th, 2023, the Economic Club of Canada presented ‘Canadian Diplomacy Amidst Geopolitical Uncertainty’ with The?Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada.

SPEAKERS

OPENING REMARKS: Mike Greenley , CEO, MDA

KEYNOTE: The?Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Much is happening in the world. What is Canada’s role as we look forward?

THE MIDDLE EAST

• We have seen horrific scenes of unspeakable violence as Hamas launched its terrorist attacks against the people of Israel, which Canada unequivocally condemns.
• What is unfolding in Gaza is a human tragedy. The humanitarian situation facing the Palestinian people—facing Palestinian women and children—is dire. Extremist settlers’ attacks continue in the West Bank.
• Like all states, Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. It has an obligation to do so in accordance with international law.
• We must be guided by human dignity—all civilians—Israeli and Palestinian, for they are equal—must be protected.
• At this point, Canada mourns seven dead. We are still searching for two, who could be among the hostages.
• 400 Canadians are trapped in Gaza, as a government, we have a duty to bring them to safety. That is why we need humanitarian pauses, a humanitarian truce, in Gaza.
• We have been in contact with Qatar, Israel, Egypt and the U.S. daily for the past three weeks.
• We need an agreement from all parties to get foreign nationals out, including Canadians. To release all hostages. And to allow food, fuel and water into Gaza.
• While Canada must face the immediate, and urgent, impacts of this crisis, we must also look forward…to the political horizon, and towards peace.

DEFINING CHALLENGES

• Our world is marked by geopolitical turbulence, unpredictability, and uncertainty.
• The tectonic plates of the world order are shifting beneath our feet. And the structures that are built upon them are fracturing.
• War has broken out in Europe, in Africa and in the Middle East. Each bringing a new cycle of death and destruction.
• We find ourselves amidst an international security crisis.
• We are also now facing increasingly complex, modern challenges such as Climate Change. Artificial Intelligence. Political Polarization. Irregular Migration. And Deepening Inequality.
• How can we prevent global conflict to build a world that is stable and inclusive?
• A world that respects the sovereignty and independence of all states, while recognizing their growing interdependence.
• And one where progress benefits all of society, not just a narrow few.RULES OF THE GAME
• The stability that has safeguarded us all is now being challenged by those who seek to change the rules of the game. Undermined by those who believe they can break them without consequence.?
• The current world order is being questioned by people and nations, especially from the South, who challenge whether the rules reflect their reality and benefit their people. Some have expressed concerns about double standards.
• We see an increasing boldness from bad actors who believe they can tip the scales of power with the weight of their might. The tools they’re using are not limited to the battlefield.
• Many actors now wield sophisticated, and often covert, tactics to shift the world order in their favour. And they’re doing so at a time where global issues have local impacts such as:CANADA’S CONTRIBUTION TO BUILDING A MORE STABLE WORLDOur foreign policy will be guided by two principles:FIRST: Vigorously defending our sovereignty, ensuring we are resilient to global threats.SECOND: Using pragmatic diplomacy, to engage countries of different perspectives in order to prevent an international conflict.

CANADIAN SOVEREIGNTY

• Canada’s sovereignty must be resilient to threats of every nature. Evolving threats we face are no longer just physical and economic. They’re digital. And they’re informational.
• Our national security depends on a world order where the principles of sovereignty are respected. One where borders cannot be re-drawn by force. One where threats to our people don’t go unanswered. And one where trade and prosperity is ensured through sustainable peace and stability.
• Defending these rules is critical to defending our national interest.
• We’re working with our allies to bolster international security.
• We will increase our investments in our military through the Defence Policy Update.
• We will continue working with the United States to strengthen the protection of our shared border.
• We need to implement an immigration strategy that is fair and compassionate.
• We will continue to defend our shared skies through a stronger and more integrated NORAD. And the purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets will help us in this regard.
• To the East - we are meeting our transatlantic responsibilities…we are a partner that NATO can count on.?
• We have committed to expand our presence along NATOs Eastern Flank and upgrade the multinational battle group we lead in Latvia.
• We know that Ukraine’s sovereignty is fundamental to the world’s stability. To Canada’s. We will continue to strengthen their position on the battlefield. We will support their pursuit of peace. And we will help with its post-war reconstruction. ?
• As we look West - great power competition is deepening in the Indo-Pacific region. Inter-state tensions, many with historical roots, are flaring or re-emerging.
• We will be increasing our military capabilities. Investing in border and cyber security. Increasing our intelligence capacity.
• We should be as close to Japan and South Korea, as we are to the U.K., France, Germany and Italy.
• We should invest in our relationship with ASEAN, just as we have with the EU.
• Our relationship with India is facing a difficult moment. We stand by the decision to inform Canadians of credible allegations around the killing of a Canadian citizen.
• Turning North - we cannot understate the importance of safeguarding the Canadian Arctic.
• With climate change redrawing maritime routes, more countries are turning their eyes north.
• The Arctic is becoming more accessible…Exercising our sovereignty on Canadian Arctic land and waters is a fundamental priority for Canada.
• This includes safeguarding the Northwest Passage, which serves as the gateway to the Arctic.
• We will also invest in economic development in the region, in partnership with Indigenous peoples.
• We will partner with the United States.
• We will invest diplomatically in our relationships with Northern European countries—Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland - who also believe that the Arctic is a region where the rule of law should prevail.

DEMOCRATIC SOVEREIGNTY

• We cannot take our democracy for granted.
• Extremists and populist movements are on the rise around the world.
• We all have a role to play in defending our democracy, including politicians from both sides of the aisle.
• We will protect our people from all forms of foreign interference.
• We will not tolerate it in our elections, in our media or in social media. Not among our students, nor in our society.
• Foreign interference is not new. We are not the only country facing the issue. But, it is evolving. And so must our approach.
• We have created independent panels to monitor elections and established a foreign interference public inquiry.
• We are establishing a Foreign Actor Registry to protect communities that are often targeted.
• Essential to protecting the health of our democracy, we will continue to protect our cultural sovereignty and defend the integrity of our media.

PRAGMATIC DIPLOMACY

• Our sovereignty survives best in a system based on clear and fair rules that foster predictability. And we will continue to champion that system, without ever compromising on our values.
• But we must be pragmatic. We must resist the temptation to divide the world into rigid ideological camps.
• The world cannot be reduced to Democracies versus Autocracies. East versus West. North versus South.
• Forcing the majority of the world to fit into any one category would be naive, short-sighted, and counterproductive.
• We need to demand that every country respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others. This is a defining principle of the UN Charter. If you missed, our would like to watch it again click here!