Canadian Foreign Policy

8 Pages 1888 Words

ether or not: ‘Canada has an Independent Foreign Policy’ will allow for an examination into three case studies regarding Canada’s policy towards other states.

Theories in International relations were traditionally limited to liberal and realist at opposite ends of the spectrum converging on very similarities. The end of the cold war brought a new legitimacy to a theory; one which best illustrates Canada’s foreign policy. The constructivist theory emerged as a way of bridging the vast gap between liberal and realist theories. The constructivist theory has diverged from the realist and liberal focus on material ideals and moved the focal point to the power of ideas. (Walt, 1998) The constructivists believe that the state need not be restricted and it is flexible to change. Constructivist’s beliefs that change is a positive occurrence has given it the appearance of the new Marxism. Canada is by no means however, a radical state that is simply the façade which constructivist theory takes on. The best example of constructivist theory at work was Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev’s acceptance of the idea of common security, (Walt, 1998) which was similar to Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson’s Nobel peace prize winning idea of the international peace keeping force. Constructivist ideals lie very heavily on the importance of International cooperation. This is illustrated through the common security theory which came from the moral emergence of pacifism and believes that International In...