Is Canada still a fair player in global politics?

This presentation explores Canada’s role and reputation in global politics, analyzing its historical position as a middle-sized power known for multilateral diplomacy, peacekeeping, and human rights advocacy. It delves into Canada’s geography, demographics, and strategic use of its oceans, highlighting its dependency on the United States for trade. The presentation also discusses challenges to Canada’s global standing, such as losing its bid for a UN Security Council seat, complex diplomatic relations with emerging powers like India and China, and criticisms of its foreign policy stance on global conflicts. It concludes by assessing Canada's potential to reclaim its leadership on the international stage, emphasizing the need for renewed commitment to multilateralism and addressing internal and external challenges in areas like Arctic governance, environmental diplomacy, and Indigenous reconciliation.

This presentation was given as part of a joint seminar organized at Uppsala University by the Swedish Institute of North American Studies, the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies, and the Centre for Canadian Studies on 24 September 2024.