With tensions rising in the Indo-Pacific and the global economy vulnerable to disruption, Canada faces growing pressure to define its role in a region that is central to future global security and prosperity. As great power competition intensifies, and China ramps up military activity and rhetoric around a potential invasion of Taiwan, Canada must confront the limitations of its naval capacity, the urgency of alliance-building, and the need for a coherent strategic vision for its engagement with the region.

Dr. Michael Hennessy, Dr. James Boutlier, and Dr. Frederic Grare joined the Expert Series to discuss what they interpret as a lack of clarity in Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, its limited presence, and the risks and reputational costs of its perceived disengagement in the region. 

The panel dissects the rapid growth of the Chinese navy, its implications for regional stability, as well as China's broader regional ambitions, the economic impact of conflict in the South China Sea, the impact of pivots in American foreign policy for traditional security guarantees, Canada’s aging naval fleet, limited shipbuilding capacity, and the need for urgent modernization to contribute meaningfully to regional security, and the importance of expanding cooperation with partners like Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN nations.

How can Canada navigate this fragmented and complex environment without being drawn into zero-sum rivalries, while safeguarding its national interests in a world where old alliances may no longer provide the certainty they once did?

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