Roland Paris / @rolandparis

Mélanie Joly has an opportunity to give Canada’s foreign policy the coherence it’s been missing

Living beside a friendly superpower and prospering within a stable international order, Canadians could easily shelter from storms beyond our borders. These protections are eroding. Canada needs to prepare.

With results in from a public opinion survey commissioned after the
Department of National Defence launched its new strategy in 2017, Roland Paris
summarizes the most interesting — and sometimes surprising — findings. 

“One day, a different U.S. president may embrace this vision,” writes Roland Paris. “For as long as Trump remains in office, however, America’s traditional partners will need to work together.”

The effects of Donald Trump’s declared foreign policy will reverberate across the globe and, as Roland Paris argues, cause the kind of international instability that the U.S. has historically sought to prevent.

Authors of the memos were not seeking to embarrass the government, Roland Paris argues, but to provide the best possible analysis to the new Foreign Minister.

An excerpt from Roland Paris’ open letter to Canada’s next Prime Minister.

We should support Iraqi troops, but we can’t fight their war for them, argues Roland Paris.

Roland Paris on why operational failure isn’t the biggest risk to peacekeeping.

The Harper government has distanced itself from a multilateral approach to foreign policy. Do Canadians agree? By Roland Paris.

The president had hoped to chart a new course. But events have a way of disrupting the best-laid plans. By Roland Paris.

On balance, international peacekeepers are more effective than the headlines might have you believe, says Roland Paris.

Roland Paris on the four major shifts taking place in world affairs right now and the challenges they create for the alliance.

The PM would have you believe that Canada is leading the Western response to the Ukraine crisis. In fact, the main difference between Canada and its allies is rhetoric, says Roland Paris.

Military spending is going up everywhere except the West. The outcome of this will be a more dangerous world, says Roland Paris.

As Canada’s mission to Afghanistan comes to a final end this month, Roland Paris considers its long-term impact.

John Baird’s speech embracing digital diplomacy signals a big step forward for Canada’s foreign ministry, says Roland Paris.

The attack could have major implications for the civilian international personnel working in Afghanistan, says Roland Paris.

How seriously does Canada take defending human rights and democracy? Foreign Minister John Baird’s recent visit to Bahrain begs the question, argues Roland Paris.

There is nothing wrong with promoting commercial interests, says Roland Paris. But those interests shouldn’t eclipse other foreign policy efforts.

The Harper government still doesn’t really care about foreign policy, says Roland Paris.

Roland Paris on why Canada should trust its ambassadors to take full advantage of the digital diplomacy revolution.

Roland Paris on why foreign ministries must adapt to the social media revolution to avoid irrelevance and why Canada needs to catch up.

Roland Paris on why John Baird calling the location of his controversial meeting in East Jerusalem “irrelevant” doesn’t add up.

Roland Paris on why John Baird’s silence on abuses in Bahrain exposes Canada’s inconsistent diplomacy.

Roland Paris on CIDA being folded into DFAIT.

Roland Paris on why Canada’s choice to stay out of Iraq didn’t have the dire consequences for Canada-U.S. relations many predicted.

Roland Paris on why the Harper government’s “secret” foreign policy plan isn’t that big of a secret.

Roland Paris on why the Canada-U.S. relationship today is sound, despite what some may think.

Roland Paris on how to better bridge political science and policy.

John Baird is the toughest minister in the cabinet. Just the man the PM might pick for defense.

Continental defence should come first argues Roland Paris.

Canadian foreign policy should be about more than providing military support, writes Roland Paris.

Roland Paris responds to a critique of R2P in The Times.

Roland Paris interviews Pulitzer-winner Steve Coll.

Roland Paris sees a parallel between Canada’s crime policies and its Iran policies: both exploit fear, not facts.

The Prime Minister should tone down his rhetoric on Iran, argues Roland Paris

A new report envisions an Orwellian surveillance society in our near future. Paris discusses the implications.

Paris asks whether Obama will stick with Perimeter, or it will see the same fate as many deals before it.

The US is getting cozy with Vietnam, Singapore and Australia. Paris wonders what this means for China.

The 800-Pound Panda in Obama’s Asia Speech. Roland Paris decodes the President’s cryptic messages.

In Libya “not only was the worst avoided, but the result was a remarkable success,” says Paris.

Roland Paris points out new irritants to the Canada-U.S. partnership.

The “tyranny of the multitude” can be the flip side of democratic revolution, Roland Paris notes.

Roland Paris suggests that Admiral Mike Mullen’s allegations will have little effect on Pakistani behaviour.

Roland Paris questions the legality of the Obama Administration’s development of drone aircraft.

Roland Paris seeks new analysis of the factors changing – and disordering – global affairs.

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