Video: Joe Clark on “Canadian Foreign Policy: Is There One?”
On May 28th, 2009, Joe Clark, former Prime Minister of Canada, delivered the keynote address at the CIC-Vancouver Branch Conference. Clark discusses how Canada can make a significant contribution to international affairs in the new world of the dominant emerging powers (Brazil, Russia, India and China).
Video: Jim O’Neill on “Where do the BRICs Stand?”
On May 28th, 2009, Jim O’Neill, Managing Director and Head of Global Economic Research, Goldman Sachs International, London, delivered the keynote address at the CIC-Vancouver Branch Conference. O’Neill’s presentation argues that the financial crisis has tested the BRIC countries’ economic models, and the resulting consensus is that these economies will lead the world.
Burning questions from youth dialogue on Canada and the BRIC
On May 27, Canada’s World and CIC collaborated in convening a day-long Youth Symposium that followed the deliberative the dialogue process developed by Canada’s World. The Symposium was held at the Segal Centre at Simon Fraser University’s downtown Vancouver campus and brought together a diverse group of 35 young people, most aged between 18 and 24, to share their knowledge and opinions on Canada’s engagements with the emerging powers.
The day consisted of an array of interactive and dynamic activities that allowed the group to build knowledge and insight to propose broad directions and actions for Canadian engagement with the BRIC countries.
Among the burning questions Symposium participants posed around Canada’s relations with the emerging powers were: How realistic is it to say we can be less dependent on the US? Why is it important for Canada to maintain a strong influence on the world stage? Why should we care about Canada’s relations with the BRIC countries? Do we care? How are BRIC countries collaborating with each other? Should we strategically engage more with certain BRIC countries than others? What resources do we have to leverage our influence and which are lacking? Can we learn from the experience and foreign policy positions of others, such as Australia? What about working to engage the countries likely to emerge after the BRIC countries?
The Symposium was very successful, generating a wide range of policy directions and options. Participants left feeling engaged, valued and well equipped to think about Canadian policy towards the BRICs and other countries. Please watch the websites of the Canadian International Council and Canada’s World for an event summary that will be posted on each soon.
> Click here to view photos from the Symposium
-Jordan Dupuis, Program Director, Canadian International Council
The BRIC: A valid concept? Why these four?
Discussion among panelists and responses to questions from the floor helped uncover the BRIC concept in which the four countries are understood primarily in economic terms. Panelists also investigated how the BRIC countries have used this concept to develop an alternative diplomatic and dialogue network to promote their individual interests. A loose consensus emerged from the discussion, which recognized that each of the BRIC countries used their inclusion in this conceptual group to help achieve their interests, both geopolitical and economic.
Of the panelists, Sergei Plekhanov identified Russia as the leading driver and convener of BRIC dialogues while Earl Drake observed that the Chinese don’t consider BRIC to be a useful concept or forum as other bilateral relationships dominate their foreign policy priorities. David Malone maintained that Indians are delighted to be included, but held that neither the BRIC concept nor the forum are particularly useful in foreign policy terms since India identifies Brazil and South Africa as priority partners. John Bell noted the BRIC concept is important for Brazil to leverage international relationships and can be an important driver of foreign investment.
-Jordan Dupuis, Program Director, Canadian International Council
Canadian International Council 
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