Watch out for the ever-vigilant Canada

El Mercurio, November 19, 2022

Recently, it has become common to hear Canada mentioned as a reference in various fields. From President Gabriel Boric to high-ranking officials in the Foreign Ministry, this country is frequently cited, and in the AthenaLab/IPSOS 2022 survey, it appeared among the spontaneous mentions by Chileans as a potential model.

Perhaps that is why it is timely to take a closer look at Canada’s foreign approach under the current government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is preparing to launch a long-awaited strategy toward the Indo-Pacific, thus joining the large group of nations that have adopted this framework.

In a preview of the strategy, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly described China as an “increasingly disruptive global power,” marking a notable shift in tone from previous years, when antagonizing the world’s second-largest economy was avoided.

Joly also announced that Canada—here come the opportunities—will seek deeper ties with democratic and reliable countries, such as India, in a greater political and economic diversification of its relationships.

While the minister clarified at the University of Toronto that they will continue to trade with the Asian country and cooperate as much as possible, she stated that the government is willing to challenge Beijing when necessary, for example, regarding human rights and respect for international rules. This was underscored in the tense dialogue captured between Trudeau and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia.

The fact is that this new attitude from Canada is already in full execution. In recent weeks, the Prime Minister accused China of interfering in his country’s democracy by covertly financing candidates in the 2019 federal elections, and his government ordered Chinese companies to divest their interests in lithium mining, citing national security reasons.

Undoubtedly, this is a risky bet, and Australia can recount the effects of antagonizing China on its export sector. It is important to note that Canada is a middle power that has so far had an approach somewhat similar to that of Chile to the world, which can be explained by the fact that it depends on international trade for its economic growth, has vast territories to monitor, abundant natural resources, shares a long border with a neighbor, and has a presence in a pole.

In its international engagement, the North American country has firmly supported multilateralism, promoting respect for international legality and advocating for free trade. However, and here lies the difference, it has placed significant importance on security, assuming it is a prerequisite for growth and development. From Vimy Ridge to Kandahar or the Taiwan Strait today, these are examples of its concrete contributions.

In a way, Canada’s policy innovation was to recognize that the country’s security depends on the security of others in an interconnected world. Its leaders believe that Canada’s national interest intersects with the national interests of other states. Broadly defined, Canada’s national security is global security. If benefits are to be gained from the world, the least that can be done is to contribute to its stability and reduce vulnerabilities. Just as the pursuit of alliances is prioritized, there will be no fear in confronting identified threats.

Despite the tragedy of the war in Ukraine, the place where global security is currently at stake is the Indo-Pacific, and that is where Canada’s strategy, to be unveiled in December, will be directed. It would be advisable for President Boric and his team to read it carefully once published, because Trudeau, with whom he maintains an apparent closeness, is indicating a path where all factors (trade, security, and diplomacy) must be combined to navigate its turbulent waters, and where societies among like-minded countries (in interests and values) should take the lead.

Juan Pablo Toro V.
Executive Director AthenaLab