From a report being developed to help target Canadian foreign policy (read here) that asked real Canadians what their views and beliefs are, here are some of the themes that Canadians can expect to see in our foreign affairs, should the advice be heeded:
Citizens are willing to pay a price for standing up to the United States on the world stage. They believe that pursuing an independent foreign policy is fundamental to Canadian sovereignty, whatever the economic repercussions.
That is quite different from the let’s-strike-a-deal talk coming out of the business community and the don’t-rock-the-boat rhetoric coming out of the federal cabinet.
Graham signalled he is willing to make the case, at home and in Washington, that Canada is a better ally to the U.S. when it exercises its own judgment than when it blindly endorses American policy.
There is a deep public concern about the continental missile defence system being developed by the U.S. Many Canadians fear that it will ratchet up the arms race. They want no part of it.
That runs counter to the prevailing view in Ottawa. Liberal leadership front-runner Paul Martin wants to see Canada join the program. Defence Minister John McCallum is a strong proponent of Canadian participation. Other cabinet ministers are quietly falling into line.
“The disarmament file is one file that I find discouraging,” Graham admitted. “We (the department of foreign affairs) want to make sure that Canada’s voice is raised against the weaponization of space.”
Immigrants are eager to share their knowledge of their former homelands. Newcomers from Africa, South Asia, the Caribbean and the Far East wonder why the government so rarely consults them when considering policies that affect their regions.
This jars with the image of openness and inclusiveness that Ottawa likes to project. It suggests that new Canadians don’t feel as valued as federal policymakers proudly claim.
Graham listened respectfully and promised to follow up on their ideas.
It troubles Canadians that their country is losing its reputation as a friend of the developing world and a fair-minded middle power. They worry that cutbacks in foreign aid and American global dominance have cost Canada its chance to be a positive force in international affairs.
Graham ruefully invited the audience to help him fight for a larger share of the federal budget. And he agreed that Canada would have to find new ways of acting multilaterally in an increasingly unipolar world.
What was striking about the two-hour session was the degree of concern and the level of sophistication that citizens brought to international issues. They understood the link between global issues and domestic policy. They wanted Canada to project its values — not just its interests — in the world.