In order to discover what the foreign policy of a country is we need to look first what are the objectives of a country. Canada plays important role in the world and is a member of many international organizations. Canada, like any other country has its own goals that it is trying to pursue through the participation in world political affairs. For many years, when Canadians looked southward, we tended not to see beyond the United States. Our entry into the Organization of American States in 1990 was a clear political signal of our desire to play a more active role in hemispheric issues. We hoped that our involvement in the OAS would lead to a revitalization of regional intergovernmental institutions.
In the early 1990s, Canada negotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement — NAFTA — with the United States and Mexico. This was the first regional trade agreement in the world involving developing and developed countries. During the same period, we extended our resident diplomatic representation to practically all countries of the region. In 1994, Prime Minister Chrtien participated in the Miami Summit of the Americas, where leaders of 34 democratically elected countries agreed on a partnership for development and prosperity. This partnership would be based on a commitment to democratic practices, economic integration, and social justice. In March next year, that process will continue with the Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile.
These talks aim to lay the groundwork for a future Free Trade Area of the Americas by 2005. They will also address other important social development issues, including education. Meanwhile, Canada has been pursuing closer trading relations throughout the region. This year, Canada and Chile concluded a bilateral free trade agreement. This was an expression of Canadas desire to continue with a trading agenda at a time when some in the U.S. Congress are reluctant to give fast-track approval for negotiations to include Chile in NAFTA. Canada is also talking trade with other regional groupings, such as MERCOSUR, the Andean Pact, CARICOM, and the Central American Common Market.
We look forward to trade partnerships with members of these groups as we move toward hemispheric free trade. Let me draw your attention to Canadas efforts to develop enhanced trading relations with MERCOSUR. This regional trade pact includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Canada exported nearly $1.7 billion Canadian to these four countries in 1996, and absorbed imports of $1.4 billion. The Canadian government is trying to lay the groundwork, which will allow more and smoother trading between MERCOSUR and Canada. Moreover, Canada has played a significant role in the grass-roots activism that should lead usmust lead usto a meaningful international accord on the banning of anti-personnel mines. In order to focus on Canadian foreign policy it is vital to understand the concerns of Canadians.
There is wide divergence among Canadians about the most serious problem facing the world. Concern about world peace and the threat of war (16%) still tops the list of Canadians international concerns, followed by concern about the environment (14%), hunger (13%) and unemployment (10%).
No single issue has replaced the high levels of concern about world peace measured in the late 1980s. The priorities Canadians propose for Canadian foreign policy tend to match their concerns discussed above. Canadians place greatest importance on the foreign policy goals of protecting the global environment and pursuing world peace. These goals are considered important by over 95% of Canadians, most of whom (75%) consider these goals very important.
Large (but slightly smaller) majorities also consider it important for Canada to promote trade (93%), discourage human rights abuse (84%), maintain a foreign policy independent of the United States (81%), maintain the ability to defend Canada (83%), participate in the United Nations (84%), work to improve the position of women in developing countries (83%), assist poorer countries to improve their living standards (82%), and to solve ecological problems (79%).
These goals are considered very important by 35% to 54% of Canadians. However, these differences should not obscure the fact that Canadians endorse all these foreign policy goals..