THE CANADIAN ELECTION AND ITS FOREIGN POLICY IMPLICATIONS

In the ‘snow globe’ economic environment we are currently living in it is not surprising that domestic policy has dominated the Canadian election.

But is the lack of foreign policy debate not perverse given the hand-wringing of leaders, including Harper who talk of global economic turbulence hitting home?

Indeed it is.

That is why all sides in this election should start talking about the foreign policy agenda they would pursue.

Whoever emerges victorious on October 15th, decisions will have to made on;

—How to advance the US-Canadian relationship (which has at times been fractious, especially on the question of ‘mutually beneficial’ trade agreements);

—How to proceed in the Afghanistan war effort;

—How to contribute to combating global warming;

—How to tap into the economic opportunities that exist in Latin America and the ‘New Asia’ economies;

—Whether or not to remain at the forefront of humanitarian assistance; and

—Whether or not to support the reform of international systems, including NATO and the G8.

Just as some countries benefit from being hard power ‘hubs’, Canada benefits from being a soft power ‘hub’. That is why internationalism must be placed above intranationalism no matter who walks into Sussex Drive on the 15th October.