Bisnis.comJAKARTA – Experts say the diplomatic crisis between Ottawa and New Delhi highlights the lack of seriousness Canada to its national security, when foreign countries intervene in the North American country.
Professor of strategic and diplomatic studies at the University of Quebec in Montreal Charles-Philippe David says relations India with Canada, which has always been tense, the situation is now getting worse.
He said the situation was exacerbated when Canada raised the possibility of Indian government involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist near Vancouver last June.
“The crisis with India was a very big mistake,” he said, as reported by CNA, Friday (9/22/2023).
He said Canada has long been receiving warning signs about foreign interference on its territory.
The global context has changed in recent years and has been accelerated by the conflict in Ukraine, forcing Canada to choose sides and adopt a more assertive stance.
However, according to him, until now the country has stopped developing due to lack of ambition, resources and leadership.
“We need to take international relations and foreign policy more seriously than we have in a long time,” David stressed.
One of his colleagues at the University of Ottawa professor of public and international affairs, John Packer, pointed out that Canada has not reviewed its foreign policy over the past two generations.
“This is a failure of our government, regardless of which political party is in power. “We need a good defense policy,” he said.
In addition, he believes that more and more autocracies are exerting influence on Canadian soil.
“Canadians used to feel secure (surrounded by) three oceans and friendly neighbors to the South, but that is long gone. “This ocean is no longer impenetrable,” he added.
According to Packer, the tensions with India prove that the world has changed and that this needs to be addressed urgently.
“We are perhaps a little naive, perhaps less keen in defending our sovereignty,” he continued.
Besides India, Packer said Canada also has an equally tense relationship with China.
The arrest of a senior Chinese telecommunications official based on a US arrest warrant in Vancouver in December 2018. Additionally, Beijing’s retaliatory detention of two Canadian citizens accused of espionage seriously strained relations between the two countries.
Check out other news and articles at Google News
“Thinker. Hardcore web aficionado. Zombie evangelist. Pop culture trailblazer. Student. Passionate twitter maven.”
