Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for the invitation to be here.
I thank you also for your service to Canadians, all of you who stand for election. It is a noble act, and I salute your courage. I salute your resilience in these times, and I salute your commitment to our country.
You've asked me to speak about Canada's diplomatic capacity: Do we as a country have the personnel and supports in place to promote and defend our national interests at home and around the world?
The objective answer to part of this question can be found in the statistics that folks from Global Affairs Canada can provide the committee. I will leave that to them. I will instead reflect on two more subjective capacity issues that I hope you will take into consideration during your deliberations. One is national ambition on the world stage, and the other is the value of diplomatic agility.
The very question of whether Global Affairs Canada has the capacity to, and I quote the committee, “demonstrate leadership within key multilateral organizations” suggests a level of foreign policy ambition that is not necessarily derived from the national interest.
Canada makes up just under one-half of 1% of the world's population, and we rely on international trade to grow our economy. We do not have the capacity, be that in terms of population, in terms of independent economic power or in terms of military might, to impose our will on others, and efforts to do so often risk undermining the relationships we must cultivate in order to maximize our security and prosperity.
We must defend and seek to preserve as much of the current international order as we can while keeping in mind that foreign policy is not an exercise in making Canadians feel good about themselves. Rather than leading internationally, it is often, although not always, in our interest to allow others the spotlight instead.
Such a pragmatic approach to defending the national interest requires seasoned, well-educated, multilingual diplomats willing to do the grunt work that keeps the global order functioning. We must take on positions in international organizations that no one else wants. We must participate actively in the meetings that no one enjoys. We must pay our dues on time and in full, no matter who else does. We must ensure that states friendly to us remain committed to multilateral solutions to global problems. For this, I am confident that the capacity exists. I worry more that it is sometimes diverted to unnecessary efforts to lead.
Similarly, I am less concerned with Canada's capacity to, and I quote the committee again, “plan ahead for future geopolitical shifts, crises, and opportunities” than I am with the ability of our foreign service officials to pivot in response to global disruptions outside of our control. No amount of planning will prevent more powerful external forces from shaping and reshaping the international environment in which we must operate. Better, then, that we privilege adaptability, flexibility and relationship building, and that we do so modestly and with humility.
In sum, let us focus on the capacity to do the little things right, rather than trying too hard to be great.
Thank you.