Former Ambassadors Call for Strategy Reboot in Canada amid Geopolitical Turmoil
Five former Canadian ambassadors to the United States have signed an open letter calling on Ottawa to adopt a plan to deepen co-operation with its closest neighbour, saying Canada needs a strategy reboot at a time of geopolitical turmoil.
The plan to develop closer international ties in key sectors was laid out in a report from the Public Policy Forum, a non-profit group that brings together experts to advise on significant policy issues.
The relationship between Canada and the U.S. benefits from mutual commercial and security interests, according to the ambassadors, and is described as “one of the world’s great win-wins.”
Amid rapid and complex geopolitical change, the ambassadors emphasized the importance of tending to the intimate ties between Canada and the U.S., which require constant attention.
The signatories of the letter, who collectively represented Canada in Washington for over 20 years starting from 1989, include diplomats like Derek Burney, John de Chastelain, Raymond Chrétien, Michael Kergin, and David MacNaughton.
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A report by the Public Policy Forum and the Munk School of Global Affairs recommends that Canada align its national interests with those of its close partners, focusing on specific sectors like Arctic security, critical minerals, energy and the environment, and advanced technologies.
These sectors should be integrated across both sides of the border to enhance the relationship between Canada and the U.S., which are crucial for each other’s economic and physical security.
The ambassadors emphasized that their letter is not a criticism of past governments but a call to action for Canada to adapt to changing global circumstances.
“Canada needs a renewed strategy,” they concluded.
