International Security: Canada’s Role in Meeting Global Threats

The current state of international politics presents new and unprecedented challenges for Canada as a middle power with vital global interests. Canada’s interests in upholding global security have long been underpinned by a commitment to multilateralism and a concept of a rules-based international order. The old assumptions on which Canadian governments approached the maintenance of international security are now threatened by great power competition, the fraying of the international order, the decline of liberal democracy worldwide, the challenges of maintaining alliances and the rise of non-traditional global threats — all of which can only be met effectively through improved global cooperation. The report considers steps Canada should take in order to effectively navigate in a world of rising international insecurity and provides recommendations.

This thematic report is part of the Reimagining a Canadian National Security Strategy project. A special report by the project’s co-directors analyzes Canada’s new national security outlook and proposes a security strategy for Canada.