The Indo-Pacific zone is fast becoming one of the most powerful geopolitical regions on the planet. A hostile communist China is growing increasingly belligerent, while those hoping to counter its force are forming partnerships with regional powers like India. Every country with coastal access to the region is impacted by it and has come up with plans and strategies for dealing with China’s growing political and economic might.
Every country besides Canada, that is.
Canada has 27,000 kilometres of coastline along the Pacific Ocean, and two-thirds of Canada’s GDP is based on international trade. If any country should be taking developments in the Indo-Pacific region seriously it’s Canada, yet our foreign affairs department appears to be treating the zone as an afterthought.
The United States announced its plan to create a new, comprehensive Indo-Pacific strategy in September 2021 and released it in February 2022. So where is Canada’s?
China is a growing consumer of Canada’s natural resources, while Canada is dependent on China for manufactured goods. With expanded trade comes influence as nations try to discourage Chinese expansionism into Taiwan. Countries such as India and the Philippines are growing, and hungry for Canadian energy products. Canada is well-placed to be an influential player in the politically fluid Indo-Pacific region, it just needs a plan.
So what does Minister Joly want to focus on with the plan that’s apparently in the works?
Climate change, of course.
Joly wants to be able to coax China to join Canada in its crusade to reduce greenhouse gases. She feels confident she can convince them to do so at an upcoming UN summit in Montreal. It is safe to say climate change policy is not a top priority for the Beijing regime, which is more interested in superseding a weakened West.
Canada has been left out of key Indo-Pacific initiatives already. In May, Canada was embarrassed as it was left out of the 13-nation Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity spearheaded by President Biden, and Canada was also excluded from the Quad, a joint security alliance of Pacific nations. This is becoming a pattern.
With its abundance of natural resources, Canada is well-positioned to prosper by supplying the world with clean, ethical products, but it won’t be able to do so until it has national leadership that is taken seriously on the world stage. Ineptitude on the world stage in recent years has relegated Canada to the kiddie table at international summits.
Our lack of an Indo-Pacific strategy at such a critical juncture in history is yet another embarrassment setting us back on the world stage.
