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Canada in the World Main Page
II. CHARTING THE COURSE
KEY OBJECTIVES
Drawing on broad consultations among Canadians and on its assessment of the
evolving world system, the Government has identified three key objectives for its
international actions in years to come:
- The promotion of prosperity and employment;
- The protection of our security, within a stable global framework; and
- The projection of Canadian values and culture
These key objectives are interdependent and mutually-reinforcing. They will form the
core of Canadian foreign policy and will guide decisions on priorities.
- The promotion of prosperity and employment is at the heart of the Government's
agenda. International markets present tremendous opportunities for Canadians, given
the quality of our products and services. We can compete with the best in the world. In
order to do so, we require a supportive domestic economic policy framework; access
for our goods and services abroad; an open, fair and predictable set of rules governing
trade and investment; and means to ensure that Canadian firms are able to take
advantage of promising foreign market opportunities. We also wish to see other
countries and regions prosper. By doing so, they will help anchor international stability
and make progress towards sustainable development. Prosperity will also allow others
to sustain more mature and mutually beneficial economic partnerships with Canada
and to be increasingly open to our values.
- The promotion of global peace as the key to protecting our security remains a
central element of our foreign policy. Stability and security are prerequisites for
economic growth and development. However, the threats to security now are more
complex than before. A whole range of issues that transcend borders - including mass
migration, crime, disease, environment, overpopulation, and under development - have
peace and security implications at the local, regional and, in many cases, the global level.
Our own security, including our economic security, is increasingly dependent on
the security of others. More than ever, the forces of globalization, technological
development and the scale of human activity reinforce our fundamental
interdependence with the rest of the world. Our well-being and our national interest are
inextricably linked to global developments. As the Special Joint Committee stated: "We
will have shared security, shared prosperity and a healthy environment for all or none
will have any in the long-term." We need to address security issues in an integrated
fashion and draw on all available foreign policy instruments.
- The projection of Canadian values and culture is important to our success in the
world. The Government agrees with the Special Joint Committee that "Canadian
foreign policy should celebrate and promote Canadian culture and learning as an
important way of advancing our interests in international affairs."
Application of values - respect for democracy, the rule of law, human rights and
the environment - will be critical to the struggle for international security in the face of
new threats to stability. Their adoption internationally will also be essential to ensuring
that they are viable in our own country. Canada is not an island able to resist a world
community that devalued beliefs central to our identity.
Vitality of our culture is also essential to our economic success. In the new
knowledge-based world economy, the skills of people, their education, ingenuity and
social adaptability, will become key elements of international advantage. Our
educational system, cultural diversity and continued dynamic growth in exports of
cultural products and services will contribute significantly to our achievement internationally.
The Government intends to pursue these key objectives in the policy framework
outlined below. They will be the focus for the full span of the Government's instruments,
including the programs of international trade, assistance and diplomacy.
Canada in the World Main Page
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