Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly unveiled Canada’s long-delayed Indo-Pacific Strategy on Nov. 27, saying the government will pledge more resources to confront challenges in the region, including China’s “increasingly disruptive” ambitions.
“Today you will see the full picture of how Canada intends not just to engage but to lead in the midst of a generational global shift,” Joly said at a press conference in Vancouver.
The minister called out China and North Korea as key sources of security threats in the region, noting that “2022 has shown us that the tectonic plates of the world power structures are moving”
“China is an increasingly disruptive global power. And as India, the world’s largest democracy, becomes the most populous country in the world, its strategic importance and leadership will only increase the North Pacific,” Joly said.
“Our neighbourhood, alongside Japan and South Korea, is facing real security threats from North Korea that continues reckless missile launches and from China who continues to challenge international norms,” she said.
Joly added that issues such as national security, economy and prosperity, democratic values, climate change, and human rights “will be shaped by the relationship Canada has with Indo-Pacific countries.”
The government has pledged roughly $2.2. billion over the next five years, launching dozens of projects related to these issues, according to documents shared with the media. In 2026-27, Ottawa will release an update covering initiatives and resources for the years 2027-2032.
Joly said the strategy is built around five objectives, the first being to address security threats to Canada in both the physical and digital sphere.
“We’re bolstering our collaboration with and contribution to the fight on foreign interference. The targeting of Canadians will not be tolerated. No effort will be spared to protect Canadians and defend against these threats,” she said.
“We’re also enhancing our cooperation with Japan and South Korea in the North Pacific, which is the gateway to the Arctic,” Joly said. “We will continue to protect the Arctic and uphold our Arctic sovereignty. More Canadian men and women in uniform will be in the region to ensure peace and ensure also to uphold the rule of law.”
Ottawa will also expand trade and investment opportunities in the region, which Joly said will also create more jobs in Canada.
