One of the biggest missteps of last October’s federal election campaign was the cancellation of the Munk Debates on foreign policy.
There was one reason and one reason only why it didn’t go ahead: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau pulled a no-show. He wouldn’t attend and didn’t give any real justification, aside from his campaign saying voters would have a chance to watch Trudeau during the sole English-language debate organized by the commission.
This is good news for foreign policy. It means we will have two front-runner candidates who know the importance of this issue and have a history of advancing proactive ideas on foreign policy.
There is currently a leadership vacuum on the federal level when it comes to foreign policy and the Conservative leadership race can serve a tool to ignite greater interest on it across the country. Canada desperately needs a foreign policy focused political leader and it looks like it’s about to get one.
