Prichard: What issue should John Baird prioritize?

The over-riding issue for Minister Baird is to use the multi-year perspective of a majority government mandate to stake out a coherent, independent and effective foreign policy that sees Canada punching above its weight in international affairs. This is what Canadians expect of their government. That means engaging pro-actively and constructively on the major contemporary issues, reflecting our interests and values, taking advantage of our strengths, building on our historic role and restoring pride in Canada’s approach and contributions. No single issue should be the top priority as focus and urgency will be dictated by events. Instead, the focus should be on taking this work seriously, investing in our people and capacity, reducing partisanship and emphasizing our national interests.