A Theory of Equipoise in Canadian Foreign Relations

• In Event: Canadian Foreign Policy in a Shifting Global Context

Abstract

In a period of dynamic global change, senior Canadian decisionmakers have endorsed a policy of “friend-shoring,” seeking to deepen ties with likeminded governments as a means of reinforcing core Canadian values, such as democracy and human rights. Such an approach would lessen Canadian ties with autocratic governments and establish criteria for improved relations with “in-between countries.” This approach responds directly to a period of increasing global division and fracture, seeking to safeguard Canada’s vital political and economic interests. This paper counters that approach, arguing that Canada is most effective and influential in world politics when it establishes a position of “equipoise” in its foreign relationships. The defining feature of this position is a deliberate balancing of strong Canada-U.S. relations with effective multilateral engagement. Both elements of this approach are mutually reinforcing and must be pursued in tandem. The theory of equipoise—long an implicit principle in effective Canadian diplomacy—is conceptualized explicitly and elaborated in the paper, drawing on the tools and concepts of Social Network Analysis. This theoretical approach is tested through an historical analysis of Canadian foreign policy since 1945.

Author

• Michael W. Manulak, Carleton University