UNSC Reform: A Future Possibility or a Distant Memory?0

• Analysis
• October 17, 2022

Many around the world tune in every September to the annual General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA). Since the first UNGA in 1946, leaders have addressed their fellow UN members.

Many addresses have been incredibly memorable, from Nikita Kruschev …

Canada’s Broken Promises: LGBTQ+ Afghans Left Behind0

• Analysis
• October 12, 2022

Shortly after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, the Canadian government announced its intention to resettle 40000 Afghans as quickly as possible. This promise was made at the United Nations General Assembly in recognition that Canadians were “overwhelmingly” …

Four Things You Need to Know About AUKUS0

• Analysis
• October 5, 2022

In 2021, the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia announced the ‘AUKUS’ trilateral security pact. Assessments of AUKUS have tended to focus on the nature of the advanced military technology that will be shared (cyber, AI, quantum, hypersonic, and of …

CIPS Best Blog Award 2022: Public Voting Now Open0

• Analysis
• September 22, 2022

It’s that time of year again… time to launch CIPS’ Best Blog award! Just like last year, we hope this competition will provide you with an opportunity to revisit some of the best blogs from the past 12 months.

It …

The Future of the Canadian Foreign Service0

• Analysis
• September 6, 2022

In the last several years, and in particular since Canada’s unsuccessful bid for a seat on the UN Security Council in June 2020, numerous critiques of Canadian diplomacy have been published, including some written by prominent retired ambassadors, former …

Economic Security and America’s CHIPS Act0

• Analysis
• August 23, 2022

Chinese military exercises in the Taiwan Strait in August 2022 temporarily disrupted international shipping. Like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this is a reminder of the intrinsic dialectic between war and commerce in human sociality. In anthropology, Claude …

Reform of Global Affairs Canada: Version 20230

• Analysis
• August 10, 2022

If the stars align in proper fashion, the year 2023 promises to be key for decisions about Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian foreign service.  Two studies are now under way:  in the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and …

The Legacy of Abe Shinzō0

• Analysis
• July 11, 2022

Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō (age 67) was murdered on the morning of July 8, 2022, while campaigning for Satō Kei, a colleague in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Although his legacy is not without controversy, especially in Japan, …

The Senate Brings Hope for GAC Reform0

• Analysis
• May 13, 2022

The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has initiated a review of the Canadian foreign service, the first such focused examination since the Royal Commission on Conditions of Foreign Service, which reported in 1981.

While the …

How about a Supply and Confidence “Human Rights” Addendum?0

• Analysis
• April 22, 2022

In March, the federal Liberals and NDP entered into a Supply and Confidence Agreement, Delivering for Canadians Now. The NDP has pledged support for the Liberal minority government through to 2025 in return for promised progress on several important …

Expedience over Justice: Implications of the Fate of the Khashoggi Trial for Activists-in-Exile0

• Analysis
• April 19, 2022

On 7 April, a Turkish court ordered that the murder trial of those accused of killing and dismembering Jamal Khashoggi be transferred to Saudi Arabia. This will effectively end the case and put pay to any chance of achieving …

Federal budget 2022: More Defence Funding in Wake of Canada’s F-35 About-Face0

• Analysis
• April 12, 2022

The Canadian government recently announced its decision to enter negotiations with American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets. The $19-billion contract is separate from $8 billion in additional funding for defence that Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland …