Newman: Should religion be a tool of Canadian foreign policy?

This is a question that is more difficult than it at first appears.
Human rights, freedoms and equality can and often are based on religion or religious principles.
Moreover, working with countries of shared or compatible religious principles can be both effective and gratifying,
But as a rule, that should be a bonus not a reason for formulating and pursuing foreign policy.
Foreign policy should be secular. If it is not, how can we argue that other countries must adhere to a set of international norms and principles, rather than follow what others consider their radical religious beliefs.
A foreign policy based on religion is a prescription for a world of Jihads, Crusades and an endless variety of Holy Wars.