ASEAN-Canada relations at forty-five: a mixed scorecard

• Published in: Canadian foreign policy journal Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 144 - 158
• Main Author: Martel, Stéphanie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 04.05.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: ASEAN; Aspiration; Canada; Diplomacy; Foreign policy; Indo-Pacific; International relations; Multilateralism; Regional organizations; security; Southeast Asia; Canada; Southeast Asia
• ISSN: 1192-6422; 2157-0817
• DOI: 10.1080/11926422.2023.2209670

Over recent years, Ottawa had sent signals of a desire to re-engage the Asia-Pacific via stronger ties with Southeast Asia and ASEAN, yet continued to struggle in devising a clear path forward that would help distinguish itself from other "dialogue partners." This article reviews Canada' mixed track record in the region, with a focus on its relations with ASEAN. It discusses how this regional organization fits into Ottawa's long-awaited Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) released in November 2022. It argues that Canada cannot succeed in its ambition to be recognized as an "Indo-Pacific" nation without developing, advancing, and implementing a coherent and consistent approach to Southeast Asia, and ASEAN in particular. Further, these efforts should be anchored in a more convincing narrative that ties Canada's contributions to the region together, aligns with regional perspectives, and are reflected in targeted but nonetheless substantial contributions at the intersection of security and development. This paper reviews key moments that have come to define the evolution of Canada-ASEAN relations over the past four decades or so, provides a balance sheet of Canada's successes and shortcomings, and discusses potential next steps and ongoing challenges as it turns to implementing its IPS.