The Canadian Position on the US and China: 'The Middle-Power Without Power'

The Cold War has long been over. So why is Canada’s foreign policy still stuck in the past? This essay argues that it is critical for Canada to renew and update its foreign policy, stating that Canada is now unprepared to deal with the United States relationship and the rise of China. The analytical framework of historical institutionalism and path dependency is used to examine why Canada’s international influence has faltered in the past few decades. It outlines that the historical institutionalization of Pierre Trudeau’s 1970 foreign policy created the Canadian international identity of the ‘helper-fixer’ that is insufficient for the 21st century. Path dependency of Canadian nationalism resulted in a gradual distancing from the US, leaving Canada alone to appeal to China’s increasing aggression. The proposed solution involves a rededication to the liberal international order through the blending of hard-power methods with Canada’s soft-power prowess — highlighting that renewed peacekeeping initiatives, and aligning with US interests are paramount in the stand against China.