In search of a Canadian Middle East policy: A look at past approaches
| Published date | 01 March 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00207020231175684 |
| Author | Susan Khazaeli |
| Date | 01 March 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Scholarly Essays |
In search of a Canadian
Middle East policy: A look
at past approaches
Susan Khazaeli
Department of National Defence, Defence Research and
Development Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
Public debate about Canada’s role in the Middle East is divided between two camps.
One camp contends that Canadian foreign policy should return to its Pearsonian
roots, in which Canada plays the role of a dispassionate but honest broker. The
other holds that Canada’s foreign policy should be defined by high-minded principles.
The disagreement is over norms, not interests. This paper refers to two former Prime
Ministers who roughly embody the two schools of thought on Canada’s foreign and
defense policy in the Middle East: Lester B. Pearson and Stephen Harper. Contrary to
conventional wisdom that Harper was a realist and Pearson, a Pearsonian, the paper
demonstrates that Pearson pursued a realist foreign policy that advances Canada’s
national security interests whereas Harper was guided by a values-based neo-conser-
vative ideology.
Keywords
Middle East, Canadian defense policy, Canadian foreign policy, Suez Crisis, Lester
Pearson, realism, neo-conservative
Corresponding author:
Susan Khazaeli, Defence Research and Development Canada, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A
0K2, Canada.
Email: susan.khazaeli@forces.gc.ca
Scholarly Essay
International Journal
2023, Vol. 78(1-2) 108–126
© The Author(s) 2023
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/00207020231175684
journals.sagepub.com/home/ijx
Introduction
Anyone who has briefly studied Canadian foreign policy has likely noticed the national
preoccupation with Pearsonianism. When the Liberals came to power in 2015, Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau declared to the world that “Canada is back.”
1
To hopeful observ-
ers, this was not merely one last swipe at his predecessor, Stephen Harper, but a promise to
return to an era in which Pearsonian values prevailed.
2
Trudeau specifically expressed a
desire to change Canada’s approach towards the Middle East. While in opposition, he
demanded an inquiry into the complicity of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in the
torture of Afghan detainees and committed to restoring diplomatic relations with Iran
and ending the combat mission in Iraq in favor of peacekeeping. Once in power, his
choice for foreign ministers was Stéphane Dion, a veteran Liberal whose appointment
seemed to confirm an impending new approach.
3
Yet, Trudeau has not dramatically
changed Canada’s approach to the region. Rather than end the combat role in Iraq, the
Liberals extended the CAF mission.
4
Under pressure from the US to take on more respon-
sibility for defense, the government also committed to a 73 percent increase in defense
expenditure as peacekeeping fell to an all-time low.
5
Meanwhile, Canada became the
second largest exporter of military weapons to the Middle East.
6
A controversial arms
deal with Saudi Arabia signed by the Conservatives went forward, despite Trudeau signal-
ing his intention to re-evaluate following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
7
Those who had
hoped for a Pearsonian revival have been disappointed.
1. The Canadian Press, “‘We’re back,’Justin Trudeau says in message to Canada’s allies abroad,”National
Post, 20 October 2015, https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/were-back-justin-trudeau-says-in-message-
to-canadas-allies-abroad (accessed 28 November 2022).
2. In his victory speech, he said: “Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and
constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years.”See: The Canadian Press, “‘We’re back.’”
3. “With Trudeau in town, Canada’s Mideast policy looks to change its tune,”Al Arabiya News, 8 November
2015, https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2015/11/08/With-Trudeau-in-town-Canada-s-Mideast-policy-
looks-to-change-its-tune- (accessed 29 November 2022).
4. See Lee Berthiaume, “Canada extends anti-Islamic State mission in Iraq to 2023,”TheGlobe and Mail, 31
March 2022, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-extends-anti-islamic-state-
mission-in-iraq-to-2023/ (accessed 28 November 2022); “Liberals extend Canada’s anti-ISIL mission one
year, but are secretive on details of operation,”The National Post, 30 March 2021, https://nationalpost.
com/news/politics/ottawa-announces-one-year-extension-to-anti-isil-mission-but-offers-few-details
(accessed 28 November 2022).
5. Reuters, “Canada to boost military budget by 70% after pressure from US to spend more,”The Guardian,
7 June 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/07/canada-increase-military-spending-nato
(accessed 28 November 2022). See also Walter Dorn, “What happened to Trudeau’s peacekeeping
promise?”Toronto Star, 21 August 2019, https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/08/21/
what-happened-to-trudeaus-peacekeeping-promise.html (accessed 28 November 2022).
6. Steve Chase, “Canada now the second biggest arms exporter to Middle East, data show,”The Globe and
Mail, 14 June 2016, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-now-the-second-biggest-
arms-exporter-to-middle-east-data-show/article30459788/ (accessed 28 November 2022).
7. Joan Bryden, “Penalty for cancelling Saudi arms contract ‘in the billions,’” Trudeau says,”Financial
Post, 26 October 2018, https://financialpost.com/news/economy/cancelling-saudi-arabia-arms-deal-
would-cost-1-billion-trudeau-2 (accessed 29 November 2022).
Khazaeli 109
To continue reading
Request your trial