As the US raises social, political, and trade barriers around itself, Canada is stepping out of America’s long shadow and into the light. This year’s G20 Summit saw leaders from 75% of the world’s population, representing over 65% of the world’s GDP and 75% of the world’s trade — and the US was not there. “The centre of gravity of the global economy is shifting,” said Canada’s PM Mark Carney. He is correct. The last century saw a massive concentration of wealth, influence, and power in a small handful of countries led by the US. That concentration has been ended, not as some continue to say, by the “stable genius” or the “weave” created by the US President. Make no mistake. The US has caused this shattering of the stable world order, but it was accomplished by incompetence and ignorance, and not by design.

Tripping over your own feet and doing a face plant on a $100 bill does not qualify as making you a smart investor, and being so rudely idiotic that all of your friends, neighbours, and partners move to distance themselves from you does not make you a statesman. Our PM has begun to take heat from the press because he has been signing new deals, looking for new partners, and trying to diversify an economy that was too deeply and for too long fully entrenched with a SINGLE PARTNER. I have mentioned several times that culturally we seem to not understand strategy or the concept of strategic patience. We seem to have learned this short-sighted insistence on immediate results from our American cousins, and nothing demonstrates that short sightedness better than the latest shameful debacle coming out of the White House and US State Department regarding Russia and Ukraine. What has been called a “peace plan” is not worth my time to describe the breathtaking stupidity it represents.

Recently, in a fit of wounded pique, the American president glowered that the US doesn’t need Canada and his current State Department, once a tower of international strength led by men like John Foster Dulles, George Catlett Marshall, and Henry Kissinger has become an international diplomatic embarrassment. His declaration left us with a choice. We Canadians could have sat and watched as our neighbour set itself alight. Instead, the new PM opted for rapid, perhaps unconventional, international action. When I was internationally active, whether in arms control, military training, or teaching, there was a phrase I heard wherever I went. From Poland, to Czechia, from Ecuador to Morocco, from Botswana to the Philippines, one phrase was always repeated: The world needs more Canada. Amen.

On 14 October 1904 at Massey Hall in Toronto, PM Sir Wilfrid Laurier, declared that the 20^th century would be Canada’s century. Laurier’s vision mostly came true as we stepped away from Great Britain to stand on our own as an independent nation that believed in immigration, free trade and confident engagement with all nations. Although Canada made enormous advancements during the century, we were understandably overshadowed by the emergence of a new global hegemon, and Canada wisely opted to work with America rather than compete against it. That desire has not changed, but it seems that it is, at least for the time being, not being reciprocated. As unfortunate as that may be, the current government has chosen to grasp the nettle and actively chart a new, more independent course for our beloved country.

PM Laurier’s declaration has often been invoked as a call to action, and it remains so. As I have said repeatedly, Canada is the manifestation of God’s promise in the Book of Exodus. It is the land of milk and honey, and in spite of our “perfect imperfection”, our continuing internal squabbles, disagreements, and petty frictions, we remain a model for the rest of the world. We are far from an ideal confederation, but to paraphrase Britain’s great wartime PM, Sir Winston Churchill, Canada is the worst type of country — excepting all others. Now is the moment for us Canadians to re-adopt Laurier’s dream and to believe that in spite of the dynamic and dangerous challenges facing us all, we can make a continuing and growing positive difference to an increasingly perilous world order.

PS: Hours after I wrote this, the G20 final press conference was held. The US will host the next one and announced it would send a junior diplomat for the ceremonial passing of the gavel. The G20 leadership said no. Do not send anyone. You did not attend, so no photo op …