Canada-Asia Agenda
Monthly expert analysis of topical and policy-relevant issues on Canada’s political, economic and security relations with Asia.
As new players, particularly from Asia, crowd for a spot in the emerging and existing institutions of regional and global governance, Canada’s position and status is in flux. While Canada boasts membership in some of the most exclusive clubs, recent failures point to the need to re-evaluate four key assumptions about Canada’s place in the world.
November 12, 2010
International attention turns to Burma as its people go to the polls for the first time in over 20 years. Skepticism abounds as the so-called ‘faulty’ elections get underway, but could these elections possibly see the emergence of a new political dynamic? As the international community is obliged to come to terms with a ‘new’ government, the opportunity may be ripe for Canada to also re-consider...
November 05, 2010
The 40th Anniversary of Canada-China relations sees Canada attempting to recover lost ground with a once considered close working partner and friend, China. Canada has no special relationship with China and recent neglect has left the previously discussed ‘strategic relationship,’ a faded memory. Canada must now take initiative to define a basis for renewal. As a rising China moves to further...
October 13, 2010
Canada’s relevance to Southeast Asia is waning at a critical time. Once deemed an active player in regional affairs, now, no longer. At a time when major players, like US and China, are actively courting emerging powers of the region and booking their places in the next generation of regional institutions, Canada’s presence and strategy languishes. Change may be in the air with Canada’s recent...
August 25, 2010
The nascent ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the first regional intergovernmental human rights body in Asia, holds the promise of institutionalizing internationally accepted human rights norms in a region in which several governments have disturbing human rights records. Despite its potential, the Commission has been dogged by concerns that it is a toothless tiger...
July 29, 2010
The protracted and violent political turmoil in Thailand came to a head in May 2010 following the army’s forcible removal of anti-government protestors from central Bangkok. Despite the complexity of the situation, it is imperative for Canada to have a sense of what is going on in Thailand. Tourist dollars and investment flows aside, Canada’s ongoing interest in Southeast Asia and Thailand’s key...
June 17, 2010
As a member of the NATO coalition fighting in Afghanistan, Canada now has a direct interest in day-to-day events in Pakistan. Despite this sea change, it is difficult to identify any uniquely Canadian contribution that could be the basis of an enhanced strategy to deal with Pakistan. Once Canada’s troops withdraw from Pakistan’s doorstep, it seems likely that relations will slip back to the pre-...
May 05, 2010
With Canada and India both gearing up for the withdrawal of Canadian and some US troops from Afghanistan in 2011, the authors explore the strategic dilemmas which face both countries. Ottawa and New Delhi each plan to maintain strong aid programs in Afghanistan post-2011, but are struggling to determine how to balance development aid with security. Despite these shared circumstances, history and...
April 28, 2010
As Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi giant gold and copper mine begins a decades-long development financed, in part, by Vancouver-based Ivanhoe Mines, the country faces one of its harshest winters on record. The author argues that as Canada is the largest mining investor in Mongolia, it should be prepared to offer humanitarian assistance to help Mongolia manage the disaster it is facing, as...
April 19, 2010
The 2010 G8/G20 Summits provide Canada a unique opportunity to influence multilateral engagement and improve its bilateral relationship with its Korean counterpart. As planning for the Canadian and Korean presidencies of the G20 shifts into high gear, Barry Carin outlines some new ideas relating to the composition, preparatory process, and consultative mechanisms in the G20. If Canada and Korea...
January 18, 2010
