POLI_3P28_D3_S1_2023_01_17_Lecture

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Brock University *

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3P28

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Political Science

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Oct 30, 2023

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Theoretical Perspectives - Explaining Canadian Foreign Policy Organization of Lecture - Intro to CFP - Role of theory - Types of theories - Three theoretical perspectives - Assessment of theories Why study CFP? 1. Understand why government takes certain actions (but not others) 2. Critically assess Federal Government’s foreign policy decisions 3. To appreciate the historical antecedents to current foreign policy decisions (past to present) 4. To get a sense of the decision making dilemmas governments face in a context of uncertainty and complexity 5. Domestic impacts 6. Determine Canadas place in the world Facing same external challenges when making changes to policies even if they have different agendas to begin with What is Foreign Policy? Definition: “governing and managing Canadas and Canadians relations with the outside world” BUT.. Reality is more complicated.. - Distinction between the outside world and domestic/inside Canada influences is blurred - Transnational relations and state as well as ‘non-state’ actors ○ NGOS (Amnesty international), civil groups, terrorist groups Canada’s foreign policy priorities Where do we look? 1. Declarations/speeches: Ex., 2017 address by Chrystia Freeland on Canada’s foreign policy priorities - Government statements 2. Distribution of resources: how much $$ is spent and on what? - Follow the money, military vs global environmental commitments, defence of the Arctic etc. what are they budgeting the most towards 3. Decisions/Actions: what does Canada do? Canada is budgeting more towards military because of current global conditions, Iran and Russia's invasion of Ukraine Introduction to Theory What is the role of theory? 1. Provides an explanation for a pattern of policies and behaviour (actions) 2. No theory can explain every aspect of a country’s foreign policy BUT… a. Theory should be comprehensive and convincing 3. NOTE: all theory reflects certain assumptions about the world around us Canada as a middle power: - Mediator role in international affairs - Peacekeepers - Works closely with NGOS - Has some say and power in the international sector Is Canada a declining power? Types of theory Theories can be differentiated by how much emphasis they place on: 1. External/ global determinants (influences) a. Actors (states): their power capabilities/behaviour b. Configuration of power (e.g. bipolar/multipolar/unipolar(when the states was the biggest riser)) c. Degree of cooperation/conflict (e.g. order/stability) i. Canada benefits for a global order that is cooperative, works with international law and organizations in hopes of agreements and understandings to develop on how states should interact with each other d. Degree of institutionalizations (e.g. international organizations/ law) i. Trying to provide some order in the world ii. UN for example iii. Russia is attacking civilians and therefore is breaking international thought and is considered illegal e. Group dynamics (e.g. system of alliances/alignments) 2. Domestic determinants Two broad categories Societal a. Classes (labour/business) b. Interest groups: NGOs consumers, farmers, voters, media… Governmental a. Executive (PM, cabinet, PMO, PCO) b. Legislature (parliament, parliamentary committees) c. Bureaucracy (government departments: Global Affairs Canada) d. Provinces: have a say in international issues over which they have jurisdiction e. Municipalities: especially big ones— have impact on environmental aspect Three theoretical perspectives LI: Liberal Internationalism: various iterations.. PD: Peripheral Dependence — canada is very dependent on the US, not much autonomy CNR: complex Neo-Realism: developed by Dewitt and Kirton in their book, Canada as a principal power — not many academics have chosen this theory *some elements of these theories overlap*

Introduction to theories: Theories are differentiated by 3 main questions that they address: 1. What is Canada's power ranking? 2. How does Canada behave? 3. What are the major determinants of CFP? Different perspectives have different answers to rank, behaviour, and determinants Perspectives provide a package of answers to these questions Liberal Internationalism Rank: Canada is a middle power Different meanings of middle power: 1. Rank of power: global power ranking a. Can canada defend itself? Not on its own but that doesn’t mean we are vulnerable 2. Geographic location: e.g. during Cold War, Canada was in the middle between US and former USSR 3. Behaviour: a particular conceptual understanding of the world a. Leaders decisions matter b. Steven Harper towards the UN — GA meetings c. What does Canada believe at the time, based on rules and international law Behaviour: - Canada an active international actor Based on the principles of: ○ Functionalism: promotion of interests in a specific issue areas (for example: UN) ▪ Being a middle power means that wouldn't be able to assess and work on all global issues ▪ They work on issues that benefit and are important to Canada and their interests ▪ World food organization, World Health Organization, Canada has played a role in certain UN committees where Canada has an interest and is an expert in the field ○ Multilateralism: “coordinating national policies in groups of 3 or more states, through ad HOC means or by means of institutions” (Tom Keating) ▪ Canada works through institutions like the UN but also in more informal groupings like the Ottawa initiative ▪ we have been rejected twice out of the Security Council as a Non permanent member Behaviour associated with LI - Mediation and peacekeeping: “Pearsonian internationalism” - ‘Humane internationalism’: eg. Humanitarian assistance, foreign aid, promotion of human rights abroad - Diplomatic professionalism: highly capable and resourced foreign service ○ John Holmes, and other diplomats are held in high regard of supporting Canada's interest abroad Determinants - Diverse - External: other middle powers, but also “great” or major powers; international organizations (UN, WTO) - Societal: arguably most prevalent within Liberal Party - Governmental: GAC most important…? ○ Most government departments have divisions for international issues that are relevant to their mandate What Canada can do globally depends on the global structure, it matters if we are in a unipolar moment. Power today is much more disperse meaning it impacts how much Canada can do on a global scale. Peripheral Dependence (PD) Rank: Canada as a small, penetrated power Behaviour: - Everything revolves around the US - Relative, not pro-active - Participation in American-dominated groups ○ Made more sense when the US was more aligned with Canada in their politics - “Special relationship” with the US ○ Myth big brother moment ○ Receiving special treatment? - Compliant partner in “Pax Americana” ○ America has world wide influence, Canada went along with it and didn’t try to step up and join in the just followed the leader Determinants - External: overwhelming importance of relationship with the US - Societal: provinces and business have most impact (e.g. because of importance of trade with the US) - Governments: low impact: Federal government not seen to have much independence on foreign policy matters Complex Neo-realism (CNR) - Neo-realism: international relations theory that attaches importance to distribution of global power capabilities - Complex: reflects recognition that: ○ Emerging/emergent new powers change the global configuration of power capabilities (recognition of declining American hegemony) ▪ American is declining, China is rising same with India and Brazil ○ Recognizes that states have diverse interests (e.g. acknowledges the importance of environmental issues) Rank: Canada as a “principal power” 1. A step above a “middle power” based on economic capacity 2. Principal actor: canada promotes its own interests globally (rather than acting as a ‘mediators’ such as through peacekeeping) 3. Principal role in promoting world order: i.e. Canada active in “select” groupings, such as the G-7 and G-20 a. Important to note CNR Behaviour: - Globalism: Canada involved in most regions of the world - Interest based involvement: Canada is seen to be pro active, rather than reactive in its foreign relations - Bilateralism: preferred over multilateralism - Diversification: i.e. less focus on a close relationship with the US CNR- Determinants - External: other middle powers less important; Canada works in concert with other principal powers - Societal: interests groups, media, labour have higher impact - Governmental: much greater impact, I.e. can exercise independence in its foreign policy decision making Strengths and weaknesses? - How much to assess these theories - How much do they explain - How convincing are they - How relevant are they - Are there other contending approaches - Which theory do you find most persuasive at this early stage - What is Canadas standing in the world?

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