“When they fly low, we are targeting it. Canada is expected to make this famous sentence from Michelle Obama, in response to Donald Trump’s intimidation.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
While the President of the United States shakes the world’s order, Canada must urgently solidify the pillars of its foreign policy if it does not want to fall into the flaw lines of the new geopolitics.
A few days before an existential ballot, the “Urn question” should not be summed up with: Who is the best candidate to answer Trump? She should also be: how can Canada be restored to the international scene to the international scene?
By dint of sticking to the United States, Canada has lost its identity and its influence around the world. Now that President Trump dreams of annexing us, we see that this dependence makes us very vulnerable, both on the economic front and on the military front.
Even our intelligence agency is watered by the Americans, since we have no secret service agents abroad as in the other countries of the G7, underlined our colleague Laura-Julie Perreault1. What would prevent our neighbors from using this insidious weapon to influence our decisions?
Canada arrives at a pivotal moment in its history where it must emancipate itself from the United States by developing its own resources and diversifying its alliances.
The invoice will be heavy. But our sovereignty imposes it. A robust foreign policy is essential to an exporting country like ours.
If Canada wants to be respected worldwide, it must first provide its share of efforts by reaching the NATO target by 2 % of GDP in military expenditure.
Liberals want to get there in 2030, two years earlier than expected. The Bloc Québécois is of the same opinion. The new Democratic Party (NPD) aims at 2032. The conservatives have no specific date.
Beyond this target, Mark Carney offers a real military industrial policy that would stimulate job creation and innovation with us, like the DARPA program in the United States which has led to important inventions like … the Internet.
On paper, this plan is much more ambitious than the announcements of Pierre Hairy which come down to the construction of a military base in Iqaluit, two polar galaes, less “woke” in the army and more security on the border.
But it is still necessary that the military strategy “Made in Canada” of Mark Carney is not only a facade to give Canada a negotiation force against Donald Trump … which we will end up appearing by buying American military equipment.
Money will also have to follow the announcements. Mark Carney has not yet encrypted his promises, which lacks rigor. And Pierre Poilievre wants to finance his by eliminating international aid, like Donald Trump, which would be a serious mistake.
Canada already invests less in international aid than most G7 countries. At 0.3 % of gross national income (RNB), we are far from the United Nations target (0.7 %) that few countries reach, it is true2.
Norway succeeds. Ireland is almost there. And precisely, it was the two countries that won the prestigious seat that Canada coveted on the UN Security Council. It must be said that the African continent, which Canada has disinterested over the years, has more than a quarter of the votes.
International aid is an investment that Canada benefits from all kinds of ways. By fighting against epidemics elsewhere, we prevent contamination with us. And by helping countries devastated by natural disasters, we reduce migratory waves.
By depriving itself of this lever, Canada would only make its international influence more, leaving even more space in authoritarian countries.
Canada is an average power that cannot act alone. He must cultivate the alliances to convey his messages, and not isolate himself as the Conservatives who demonize the Davos economic forum. The deputy and former candidate for the Leslyn Lewis chiefdom has even sponsored a petition demanding the withdrawal of the UN Canada.
On the contrary, Canada must find the ascendant it has lost in major international institutions. For this, it takes flagship ideas which will allow him to assert himself, without putting the great powers even more on the back.
An example? While the anti -personnel prohibition treaty cracks everywhere, Ottawa should resume its leadership role which had led to the signing of this major agreement, as claimed by a recent open letter co -signed by a skewer of renowned experts3.
To regain its relevance, Ottawa should also strengthen its diplomacy, weakened in the Trudeau era. We have seen many partisan appointments in key positions, to the detriment of career diplomats that have the skills required to assert our values and our interests abroad.
To defend our economy and sovereignty, we must establish closer relationships with allied countries. But you still have to have something to bring them.
Instead of an opportunistic foreign policy that especially seeks to please members of diasporas, Canada needs a solid strategy based on a well -equipped army, sufficient international aid, powerful ideas, competent diplomats and secret agents with first -hand information.
Canada will have room in the world it deserves. Let’s see high.1. Read the chronicle “Is a Canada without spies a myopic Canada?” »» 2. Read the article “Erosion of international development aid in Canada must stop!” »» 3. Read the letter “Protection of civilians requires respect for the Ottawa Treaty”
