CANADA AND THE WORLD

Specific Outcomes

By studying the articles related to this question you will be able to:

• identify characteristics of Canadian foreign policy over the years
• describe characteristics of the post Cold War world
• identify future directions for Canada's role in the world
• identify challenges to Canada's continued influence in world affairs
• identify ways in which Canada can meet these challenges

Setting the Stage

Before reading the articles look at the introduction to the Question:

• What has Canada's reputation been in the world over the years? Justify your view.
• Based on what you know, how would you answer the questions in the introduction to this Great Canadian Question?
• Are your answers confirmed or refuted by the readings?

Reading for Understanding

Questions for Allan Gotlieb's first article:

• How does Gotlieb characterise Canadian foreign policy in the years before World War I / between the wars / during and after World War II?
• How does he characterise the world after the Cold War?
• What does he mean by "an asymmetrical concentration of power", "Zeitgeist", "a judicialised approach to state behaviour"?
• Why does Canada need to reshape its foreign policy in the post Cold War world?
• What should be our future priorities in foreign affairs, according to Gotlieb? How does he support his view?
• What assets does Canada possess for its quest towards a new foreign policy?
• What challenges do we face in making the most of our assets to influence world affairs?

Questions for Janice Stein's first article:

• According to Stein, what is the current view about Canada's capacity to influence the rest of the world? What are the sources of such a view?
• According to Stein, how can Canada make a difference in global issues?
• What is the most serious threat to Canada's sovereignty? What evidence does she offer to support her views?
• Why does Stein think that a deep understanding of Canada's history is important to developing Canada's capacity to influence the world?
• What power does Canada have to speak strategically?

Questions for Allan Gotlieb's second article:

• How does Gotlieb describe Canada's relationship with the U.S.? What "threat" is the U.S. to Canada? How does he support his view?
• In what ways are Canadian and U.S. foreign policies "asymmetrical"?
• How should we conduct our relations with the U.S. according to Gotlieb?

Questions for Janice Stein's second article:

• What does Stein mean when she argues that successful Canadian foreign policy will depend on a "full orchestra of players"?
• "For better or for worse, the twentieth century has been the golden age of the state." What does Stein mean and what arguments are there to support the "for better" and "for worse" claims?
• If the United States is so powerful, what limits are there to its power?
• In addition to politicians and diplomats, what other Canadians can have influence in world affairs?
• In what ways is Canada well positioned to lead in the New World of diplomacy?

Critical Comparisons

• To what parts of Stein's argument in the first essay does Gotlieb respond?
• To what parts of Gotlieb's argument in the first essay does Stein respond?
• On what points do they agree?
• On what points do they disagree?
• Where do you stand and why on the issue of Canada's future role in the world?
• What evidence is especially important in your conclusions?