Revitalizing Canada-Southeast Asia Relations: The TAC gives us a ticket … but do we have a destination?

Abstract

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 signing of ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation – but is it too late? Does the treaty signal meaningful policy change by Ottawa or is it simply a rhetorical gesture?