New Issues in Canadian Foreign Policy

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The political Arctic
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• The Canadian Arctic

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Canadian interests in the Arctic

• Security nothing comes before that (Harper)
• Sovereignty
• Natural resources oil, gas, diamonds, gold
• Environmental management
• Social issues

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Arctic Sovereignty

• Northwest passage
• Beaufort Sea
• Hans Island
• Continental shelf claims

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Northwest Passage

• Legal claims
• Internal waters by historic title
• No one exercised possession once claims made
• Belated claim 1973
• Reaction of foreign governments
• Inability to control navigation (other uses)
• Internal waters included within straight
  baselines
• Stronger claims but right of innocent passage

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Northwest Passage

• The NW Passage route cuts about 5 days off
  alternative routes between China and
  Europe/Eastern North America
• Oil, gas and other resources would also likely
  transit through NW Passage to get to eastern US
• US and others maintain that the Passage is an
  international strait allowing for unfettered
  access
• One option for resolving the dispute with the US
  might be joint seaway management
  infrastructure and policing

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Northwest Passage
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Climate Change and the Passage
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Climate Change in the Arctic

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJak1pExql0U

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The Economist on Arctic issues

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vVTHsd9wiyiofeature
  related

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Arctic sea ice
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Beaufort Sea claim
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• 400 onshore oil and gas fields have been
  discovered to date in Canada, Russia and US
• US geological Survey estimates 90 billion barrels
  of undiscovered oil and 1,670 trillion cubic feet
  of natural gas (about 13 of worlds reserves)

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Drilling activity in the Beaufort Sea

• http//www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-INTER-HQ/STAG
  ING/texte-text/nog_mp_bsmd_pg_1317059161670_eng.pd
  f

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Continental Shelf Claims

• UNCLOS ratified in 2003
• Canadian government has until 2013 to present its
  claim to the UN Commission on the Continental
  Shelf
• This is not about sovereignty but about rights to
  exploitation of resources and management regimes

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Harpers Arctic Policy
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• Five icebreakers, 14 long-range helicopters,
  radar satellite for tracking ships and mapping
  sea ice
• Lack the capacity to operate year round

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2009 Northern Strategy

• exercising our Arctic Sovereignty
• promoting social and economic development
• protecting our environmental heritage
• improving and devolving northern governance

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Defence Measures I

• Building six to eight armed Polar Class 5 Arctic
  Offshore Patrol Ships(AOPS)
• The establishment of a multi-purpose Arctic
  training centre in Resolute Bay, Nunavut
• The creation of a berthing and refuelling
  facility at the existing deepwater port of
  Nanisivik, in Nunavut, to serve as a staging area
  for naval vessels in the High Arctic and for use
  by Canadian Coast Guard vessels as well
• The establishment of a permanent army reserve
  unit based in Yellowknife
• Expanding the size and capabilities of the
  Canadian Rangers and the Junior Canadian Rangers
  Program.

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Defence Measures II

• Plans to enhance the ability of the CF to conduct
  surveillance through the modernization and
  replacement of the Aurora patrol aircraft
• The Polar Epsilon Project, which will provide
  space-based surveillance using information from
  Canadas RADARSAT-2 satellite to produce imagery
  for military commanders during the conduct of
  operations
• The use of unmanned aerial vehicle technology

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The budget and the Arctic

• Uncertainty around commitment to Arctic research
  station, and to other Arctic research projects
• support for developing some port facilities, but
  Nanisivik looks questionable
• Arctic offshore patrol ships delayed until 2018
  cost increase of 40 million
• Trying to multi-task, or in this case identify a
  clear task
• spending cuts at the Canadian Space Agency will
  result in delays or cancellation of satellites
  for the Arctic.

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Arctic Cooperation I

• Arctic Council (1996) institutionalized
  cooperation on nonmilitary matters among the
  eight Arctic countries Russia, the United States
  (Alaska), Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway,
  Iceland, Sweden, and Finland

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Arctic Cooperation II

• Ilulissat Declaration (2008) Russia, the United
  States, Canada, Denmark, and Norway reaffirmed
  their commitment to working within an existing
  framework of international law to delimit their
  respective areas of jurisdiction over the seabed.
  (UN LOS Treaty)
• US-Russia notification agreement

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Environment and foreign policy

• Environmental issues have gained increased
  prominence compare 1972 Stockholm meeting with
  1992 Rio conference
• Canadian (government and societal) interest and
  support for environmental issues has been uneven
  at best
• Acid rain, Great Lakes, coastal oil spills, and
  Arctic have been major concerns
• Ozone protection, Montreal protocol of 1987

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Rio Earth Summit 1992

• 172 countries 108 heads of state
• 2400 representatives of nongovernmental
  organizations (NGOs)
• Numerous conventions and action plans adopted

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Rio Conference and Climate Change

• June 1992 summit strongly supported by Mulroney
  government
• Signed and ratified UN Framework Conventions on
  Climate Change and Biodiversity
• Kyoto 1997, 3rd Conference of the Parties (CoP)
  to the UNFCCC agrees on Kyoto Protocol Chretien
  took lead Canada must cut average annual
  greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below
  1990 levels over the period from 2008-2012
  ratified in December 2002

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Climate change and Canadian policy

• Kyoto Protocol ratified in 2002 (as Bush
  administration was rejecting it)
• Greenhouse gas emissions increase significantly
  since signing on to Kyoto
• Martin government complains about US policy in
  2005, but does nothing to change Canadian policy
• Harper government rhetorically abandons Kyoto in
  2006 withdraws officially in December 2011
• Harper government ties its emissions policy to US
  policy at Copenhagen in 2009 and Cancun in 2010

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Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Reporting required by UN convention
• Principal sources of emissions on energy related,
  both production and transportation waste and
  agriculture make minor contributions
• Significant growth since 1990s fueled by
  expanding oil, gas and forestry sectors most
  designed for export markets
• Conference Board of Canada report card

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Accounting for Canadas Climate Change Policy

• Economic interests energy exports
• US policy coordination
• Multilateralism declining importance, influence
• Federalism lack of coordination
• Reduced influence of environmental lobby
  scientific community
• Government is leaning heavily to shutting down
  dissent

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Canadas Immigration Policy

• When I speak of quality, I have in mind
  something that is quite different from what is in
  the mind of the average writer or speaker upon
  the question of immigration. I think of a
  stalwart peasant in a sheep-skin coat, born on
  the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for
  generations, with a stout wife and half-a-dozen
  children, is good quality.
• Sir Clifford Sifton, 1922

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• The data and tables for this section and related
  information can be found here
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  (http//www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/statistics
  /facts2010/index.asp)

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Establishing categories

• 1976 New Immigration Act defines the 3 main
  priorities of immigration policy
• . Priority 1 family reunification
• . Priority 2 humanitarian concerns
• . Priority 3 promotion of Canadas economic,
  social, demographic, and cultural goals
• These priorities have varied in emphasis, but
  still form the core of our immigration policy

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Demographic and Labour Concerns

• mid 1980s increasing concern over future
  immigration levels in response to fertility
  patterns in Canada which had fallen and remain
  below replacement levels
• Early 1990s family class was reduced by limiting
  range of family members included
• government commits to stable inflows of about 1
  of the current population
• The switch to long term goals and the desire to
  increase the numbers of skilled workers continued
  through the 1990s (the birth of designer
  immigration)

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Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2002

• To streamline several areas of the immigration
  process, including those for selecting applicants
  and ruling on refugee claims
• To broaden criteria for selecting immigrants,
  both to make it easier to bring in skilled
  workers and to promote the reunification of
  families and,
• In the wake of September 11, 2001, to implement
  measures that would remove or keep out persons
  who were inadmissible on grounds of security,
  violating human rights, or involvement in
  criminal activity or organized crime.

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2012 Budget and Immigration

• Close domestic offices and lay off more than 100
  people
• Close visa offices in Japan, Malaysia,
  Bangladesh, Iran and Germany

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Admissions by category

• On the following slide the top chart represents
  the absolute number of individuals admitted under
  the categories (from top to bottom) family class,
  economic class, refugee, other
• The bottom chart represents the percentage of
  total individuals admitted under each of the
  categories in the same sequence from top to bottom

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Immigration in Canada TodayComponents of
Immigration Intake
Family Reunification Members of the Family Class
Humanitarian Convention Refugees Members of Designated Classes Persons eligible under special humanitarian measures
Economic Assisted Relatives Business Immigrants Entrepreneurs Self-employed persons Investors Retirees Other Independent Immigrants
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Selection Grid for Economic Immigrants (Point
System)
Factor One Education Maximum 25
Factor Two Official Languages Maximum 24
1st Official Language Maximum 16
2nd Official Language Maximum 8
Factor Three Experience Maximum 21
Factor Four Age Maximum 10
Factor Five Arranged Employment in Canada Maximum 10
Factor Six Adaptability Maximum 10
Total Maximum 100
Passing Mark 67
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Selection Factor Adaptability
Factor Six Adaptability Maximum 10 points
Spouses or common-law partners education 3 - 5
Minimum one year full-time authorized work in Canada 5
Minimum two years full-time authorized post-secondary study in Canada 5
Have received points under the Arranged Employment in Canada factor 5
Family relationship in Canada 5
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Immigrants Skills Are Underutilized

• Principal Cause the non-recognition of foreign
  education and foreign experience
• Professional associations are often accused of
  placing too many barriers in front of otherwise
  qualified immigrants
• Even with a work authorization given by a
  professional association, there is still an
  earnings gap between newcomers and the
  Canadian-born as well as higher rates of
  unemployment

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Responding to this problem

• The wage and employment gap has been identified
  by Jason Kenney as one of the principal
  restraints to raising immigration levels
• Some proposals suggest increasing levels from the
  current 250,000 to 400,000 annually
• Provincial governments and business are pushing
  for higher levels

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Provinces and immigration

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNPs) are in place
  with 10 jurisdictions (the Yukon and all
  provinces except Ontario and Quebec), through
  which provinces and territories nominate
  individuals as permanent residents to address
  specific labour market and economic development
  needs.
• Provinces also put demands on the government to
  increase national immigration quotas
• Quebec has its own agreement with the federal
  government
• Has become an area of increase conflict in light
  of federal efforts to restrict immigration

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Temporary foreign workers program

• the selection of economic immigrants is not based
  on chronological order (first come, first serve
  basis), but on an occupational demand basis in
  response to industry requests most evident in
  the temporary workers program
• Government has expedited the application program
  for temporary workers with online applications
• Government has also allowed industry to pay up to
  15 less to these workers (not clear how this
  helps address Kenneys concerns over wage gap)

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Immigration policy and ethical issues

• Should Canada have more open immigration
  policies?
• Who regulates immigration practices government
  (federal/provincial) or business?
• How to address unfair labour practices?
• What is the proper response to uneven labour
  markets?
• Should Canada be concerned with the brain drain?

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Canadas refugee policy

• Refugees are defined by international law
• As a signatory to international conventions,
  Canada is bound to offer a home to those who
  qualify as a refugee
• Issues arise in the determination process in the
  level of support in the return to safe
  countries

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Canadian refugee support

• Canada has the one of the largest resettlement
  programs in the world, this program brings
  refugees from camps and elsewhere to Canada many
  under sponsorship activities
• Current numbers allowed to come to Canada are
  about 14,000 of the approximately 100,000 who are
  resettled annually of the 16 million refugees
  worldwide
• Last year Canada was the eighth largest supporter
  of the UNHCRs budget, contributing about 59
  million.

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Canadian policy concerns

• Number of refugees allowed to remain has been
  declining Safe Third Country Agreement with US
  Mexico, Czech visas 2009
• Determination of qualification seems arbitrary
• Proposed policy changes that arose from Sun Sea
  incident in 2010 through Bill C-31
• Proposed extended detention period for irregular
  arrivals
• Concerns also raised about limited time to
  prepare for appeals
• Increase in the discretionary authority of the
  minister, for example in identifying safe
  countries

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Source country refers to the principal country of
alleged persecution
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Diaspora communities

• Foreign born and immigrant communities have
  always been an important political consideration
  in foreign policy
• So-called ethnic lobby has had influence on
  specific decisions
• Politicians will also use foreign policy to win
  the ethnic vote
• Personal connections/interest
• Expertise, information, familiarity

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Global Migration Flows

• Top emigration countries in the world are
  Mexico, India, China, Ukraine, Bangladesh,
  Pakistan, UK, Philippines, Turkey
• Top immigration destinations are US, Russia,
  Germany, Saudi Arabia, Canada

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Diaspora communities

• Foreign policy officials are looking to these
  communities in a more systematic manner
• Diaspora communities send more money back in
  remittances than the government provides in
  foreign aid
• Canada and other governments also looking more
  closely at non-traditional diplomacy citizens
  through both diaspora communities and Canadians
  abroad

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Diaspora communities

• These communities can be problematic internal
  divisions
• There are also concerns that they have too much
  influence in shaping foreign policy interests
• Yet if national interests are determined by the
  interests of citizens at what point do the
  interests of diaspora communities become Canadian
  national interests
• At the same time, foreign policy might benefit
  from their involvement, eg. no Afghani on the
  Manley Panel
• Governments will pick and choose, though this
  might have political costs

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The Canadian Diaspora

• 2.8 million Canadians live abroad (about 8 of
  the Canadian population)
• Canadians Abroad a number of groups already
  exist in New York, Florida, Silicon Valley, Hong
  Kong, Philippines
• Global Citizens initiative being considered by
  DFAIT
• 2012 budget cuts result in the withdrawal of 5m
  support for Canadian Studies programs abroad (39
  countries) that reportedly generate 70m annually

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Human rights and religious freedom is this
diaspora politics?

• Political parties in Canada have always played to
  the ethnic vote, is this government different
• Harper government has dismantled Rights and
  Democracy as an independent agency and brought it
  into DFAIT also cut support to groups critical
  of Israeli human rights practices
• Discussion of a centre for promoting democracy
  has been shelved
• Developing an Office of Religious Freedom to
  champion religious rights (inspired by Shabaz
  Bhatti, assassinated Pakistani Minister)
• Policy statements on Holodomor, Armenian
  genocide, Japanese use of comfort women but
  critical towards Tamils

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Canadas rank among 194 countries (rank may vary
slightly depending on year consulted)

• 1st in percentage foreign born population
• 2nd largest in size 35th in population
• 2nd in advanced education
• 2nd in energy production among OECD
• 4th human development index
• 5th per capita income
• 7th in trade
• 9th in competitiveness
• 9th in FDI recipient 10th in FDI abroad
• 13th in military spending

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• Given Canadas position in the global community,
  is the country -
• pulling its weight
• punching above its weight, or (and changing the
  metaphor)
• shirking its responsibilities

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• tom.keating_at_ualberta.ca
• http//www.ualberta.ca/tkeating/ELLA.ppt
• http//www.ualberta.ca/tkeating/ELLA2.ppt
• http//www.ualberta.ca/tkeating/ELLA3.ppt