Amid this rising instability, Canada and Japan are reliable partners with shared values and aligned strategic interests. The task for Canada and Japan will be to turn the agreements and frameworks in place into concrete action which can secure their continued security.
In a region that is increasingly defined by uncertainty and rivalry, Canada needs clarity on who its true strategic partners are. That doesn’t mean disengaging from China, but it must be tactical.
Canada’s recently-signed memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation with Indonesia should be a first step on a longer journey, and not a box-ticking exercise that fades into irrelevance.
America’s stunning display of disengagement underscores the urgent need for Canada and its allies to step up where Washington is pulling back.
As the only G7 nation with a truly Arctic identity, Canada has a duty to elevate the region’s strategic significance.