Revitalizing Canadian Public Diplomacy /

If so, it is very opportune for the Canadian government to task the new Global Affairs Minister, Stéphane Dion, “to revitalize Canada’s public diplomacy, stakeholder engagement and cooperation with partners in Canada and abroad.”2 PUBLIC DIPLOMACY FOR A GLOBAL AND NETWORKED WORLD Public diplomacy is at the heart of modern diplomacy. [...] For example: in 1995 Canada in the World projected Canadian values and culture as a third pillar of foreign policy; the 2004 Canadian International Information Strategy proposed an international broadcasting mandate; the 2006 International Policy Statement mainlined the importance of public diplomacy; and the 2007 Foreign Policy Statement pioneered stakeholder engagement online. [...] The amalgamation of Global Affairs Canada should lead to a better strategic integration and direction for international diplomacy, economic diplomacy and international development, and presumably a coherent international storyline and public diplomacy on all these key issues. [...] As well, the Minister of International Trade has a mandate to look at branding, and with the current international buzz and curiosity about Canada thanks to the election of its first viral Prime Minister, Canada needs to seize on this opportunity. [...] It should use three important signature events (the 150th Anniversary of Canada (2016-2017), the Canadian chairmanship of the G7 (2018) and the Canadian campaign for a Security Council seat (2016-2021)) to put in place and road-test a new coordinated approach to public diplomacy over the timeframe of five years from 2017-2021.