Tag: Diplomatic Agenda
Diplomats explore Canada’s North
Every two years, Global Affairs Canada organizes a tour of the North, including the Arctic, for interested ambassadors and high commissioners posted to Canada. For Canada, it is an opportunity to introduce international guests to a storied, but less known, part of our country. This year, I was part of this interesting initiative that many […]
Poland: Life in a complicated neighbourhood
In 1791, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth adopted a modern constitution, making it the first constitutional democracy in Europe and the second in the world, after the United States of America. The constitution was an expression of the liberal political and philosophical ideas of Europe’s Enlightenment, which gave primacy to reason, law and freedom. It adopted Montesquieu’s […]
Why the world needs an engaged European Union
The world needs an engaged European Union more than ever before. More and more, people outside and inside the European Union are realizing the importance of having a solid and predictable international player to rely on in our turbulent — and sometimes chaotic — times. The European Union is a credible and indispensable global player, […]
Canada and Mexico at North America’s crossroads
When he was in Mexico in October, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau re-affirmed the friendship between Canada and Mexico. “Canada and Mexico are not only strong partners — we are close friends who share common goals and work shoulder-to-shoulder to advance them. From fighting climate change to building economies that work for everyone, we are united […]
The North Korean nuclear conundrum
The most crucial threat affecting Northeast Asia’s stability is the nuclear and missile program of the DPRK (North Korea). It poses a serious threat, not just for the Republic of Korea (South Korea), but for the Asia-Pacific, and the entire world. North Korea claims to be a “nuclear weapon state,” and it is the only […]
UAE is strongly supporting Syrians
Since the Syrian crisis began in 2011, the United Arab Emirates has expressed its compassion and unwavering support for the people of Syria. The Syrian people are connected in our hearts as our brothers and sisters in our region and our government remains fully committed to continuing its strong support to alleviate their suffering, help […]
My time of torture in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib
Recently we have been hearing the word “torture” thrown about by politicians of the highest ranks and we never really stop to ask ourselves what that word truly means. What are the long-term effects of keeping a nation under constant threat of violence and intimidation? I have a horrifying tale to tell, and I hope […]
Costa Rica: Leading the world in renewable energy
People often ask me, why do Canadians and Costa Ricans get along so well? Answering this question could be an essay in itself. However, it is clear that our nations share many of the same values and aspirations, including democracy, rule of law, diverse and open societies, protection and advancement of human rights, constant investment […]
Norway invests in its own future
In a period when oil prices were high, Norway has been able to transform oil in the ground into financial wealth. Today, the Government Pension Fund Global is one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. By investing abroad, leaving capital in the fund untouched and limiting annual spending in the national budget to four […]
Saudi Arabia: ‘Solving conflicts by peaceful means’
Over the past year, there has been much talk in the media about the contract for General Dynamics Land Systems Canada to sell light armoured vehicles and provide training to the Saudi Arabia Royal Guard. There has also been a surge in misleading information about Saudi Arabia, which has been sensationalized and politicized by the […]
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