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UPCOMING EVENTS:
Civic Engagement Regional Roundtable: Stay tuned for information about our roundtable on Civic Engagement taking place September 16 and 17, 2005. For more information or to get involved with the planning of the event please contact Stefanie at Vancouver@canada25.com.
PAST EVENTS:
Launch of From Middle to Model Power:
The new year started for Canada25 Vancouver with a great event in January. On Wednesday, January 26, 2005, Canada25 members and supporters came together at the Liu Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC) to launch Canada25’s latest document, “From Middle to Model Power: Recharging Canada’s Role in the World”. Canada25 events have a reputation of being insightful and invigorating and this evening was no exception. Moderated by Dr. Michael Byers, Chair of the Global Justice Program at the Liu Institute, each speaker shared a delightful combination of insight and humour to keep the audience members fully engaged.
David Eaves, one of the report's authors, started off the night with his discussion on the document’s dominant themes. The key themes challenged the three assumptions that have guided Canadian foreign policy since the Second World War: that government is the primary actor determining how Canadians engage the world; that Canada occupies a middle position in a global hierarchy of powers; and that there is a clear distinction between domestic and foreign affairs. He also identified that the key organizing principle shaping the behaviour of Canada25 members is ‘the network’. David explained that the document explores how these assumptions no longer hold, and examines what the implications are for how Canadians engage the world in the 21st century. The key conclusion of the report is that Canada has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in a range of areas that includes making globalization work better for the world’s poor, and reorganizing the Department of Foreign Affairs.
David Beers, who teaches at the School of Journalism at UBC and is the editor of The Tyee, responded to the sections of the report dealing with the media. David Beers structured his discussion around the principle that “Canada is a good story”. He applauded how the report identified the importance of media in the equation of moving from middle to model power status, and its recognition of the fact that we are at a critical juncture in terms of the future of the free press.
His second dominant theme was the branding of Canada. In rethinking Canada’s identity, the emphasis should not be on “selling” Canada; instead he suggests minimizing government efforts and focusing the story on those that are operating at the front lines. He stated confidently that Canada is a country that is not adverse to taking risks – in fact, he says we do not spend enough time celebrating our risk takers. It is this willingness to try new things and take risks that are cornerstones to reinventing our image and provide the ‘good story’.
Brian Job, the Director of the Institute for International Relations at UBC, gave a global response to the document. His participation added a nice symmetry to the event, in effect closing the circle he began by agreeing to be the keynote speaker at the Canada 25 Vancouver roundtable in October 2003. He began his discussion by commenting on the document’s readability and the quality of its content. He was also pleased with its self confident, impatient tone, which demonstrated a lack of reliance on tradition modes of foreign policy and a lack of preoccupation with transitory issues.
He followed these comments by suggesting that Canada 25 members continue to consider a series of issues that did not make it into the final document. He invited us to reflect on the implications of Canada’s three ocean borders, the immigration policies required to sustain our economy’s labour needs, the move by the United States towards unilateral action and the Canadian International Development Agency.
To conclude he encouraged us to sustain the enthusiasm that is particularly prevalent at the commencement of the document and supported Canada25 members in their efforts to be bold, to take risks and to think differently.
The evening concluded with a facilitated discussion period, which provided further opportunities to discuss the document’s central themes.
Inspired to learn more? Check out “From Middle to Model Power: Recharging Canada’s Role in the World” at www.canada25.com and tell us what YOU think!
PUBLICATIONS
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Stefanie Gray
Chapter Coordinator
vancouver@canada25.com
Ashleen Shadeo
Membership
ashadeo@shaw.ca
Siraz Dalmir
Policy
siraz.dalmir@gmail.com
Jasbir Uppal
Communications
jasbiruppal@hotmail.com
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