Abstract
This chapter broadly examines Canada’s contemporary strategic engagement in the Middle East and North Africa (the MENA) and provides policy options and advice in support of Canada’s future national interests. This is not an easy task to do simply given the vastness of the region and the diversity of states and peoples found within it. It is also a region regarded as one of the least secure and stable places in the world. The natural inclination for any outsider would be to remain at arm’s length, solely because of the security situation. But that said, Canadian citizens and businesses are becoming more and more engaged in the MENA, while immigrants, political refugees and students flow in the other direction seeking new opportunities in Canada
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al Arabiya. 2020. “Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s $26 bln Spending Cuts Scale Back Vision 2030, Triples VAT.” May 11. https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/05/11/Coronavirus-Saudi-Arabia-reduces-expenditures-by-100-bln-riyals-to-triple-VAT. Accessed on August 8, 2020.
Amnesty International. 2018. “You Can Now See Your Husband, But There Is Just One Thing—He Is Dead.” May 2. https://www.amnesty.ca/blog/%E2%80%9Cyou-can-now-see-your-husband-there-just-one-thing-%E2%80%93-he-dead%E2%80%9D. Accessed on April 11, 2020.
Angus Reid. 2018. “Nine-in-Ten Canadians Say ‘no’ to Future Arms Deals with Saudi Arabia; Divided over Cancelling Current One.” November 6. http://angusreid.org/saudi-arabia-canada-khashoggi/. Accessed on August 8, 2020.
Brewster, Murray. 2019. “Canada Risked Losing More Than $7B in Investment over Saudi Spat, Documents Show.” CBC News, March 15. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/saudi-arabia-canada-direct-investment-1.5057144. Accessed on March 6, 2020.
Brewster, Murray. 2020. “Canada Extends Ban on Arms Sales to NATO Ally Turkey.” CBC News, April 22. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/turkey-canada-arms-sales-nato-1.5541714. Accessed on April 24, 2020.
Canada-Arab Business Council. 2020. “About Us.” https://c-abc.ca/about/. Accessed on March 7, 2020.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2003. “PM Says ‘It’s Possible” Canadian Soldiers in Iraq.” April 4. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/pm-says-it-s-possible-canadian-soldiers-in-iraq-1.367559. Accessed on February 21, 2020.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2017. “Final Tally for Failed Algonquin College Campus Hits $9M.” December 12. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/final-tally-for-failed-algonquin-college-campus-hits-9m-1.4444412. Accessed on March 7, 2020.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 2019a. “Canadians May Not Be as ‘Obsessed’ over Immigration This Election, But It Remains a Key Issue for Parties.” October 7. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/refugees-2019-election-1.5310154. Accessed on July 2, 2020.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2019b. “Canada Pledges $47M in Aid at Conference on Yemen.” February 26. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/yemen-aid-pledges-canada-1.5033836. Accessed on April 21, 2020.
Canadian Bureau of International Education. 2020. “The Libyan-North American Scholarship Program.” n.d. https://cbie.ca/what-we-do/current-programs/libyan-north-american-scholarship/. Accessed on April 27, 2020.
Cape Breton University. 2020. “CIC Cairo.” https://www.cbu.ca/future-students/student-services/international-student-services/cic-cairo/. Accessed on July 7, 2020.
Carleton University. 2020. “Canadian International Development Platform—Canada’s Foreign Aid, 2019.” http://cidpnsi.ca/#analyses. Accessed on July 7, 2020.
Chaziza, Mordechai. 2020. “China’s New Silk Road Strategy and the Middle East.” The Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies, March 24. https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/china-silk-road-middle-east/. Accessed on April 14, 2020.
Clark, Campbell. 2020. “What Does Canada Want in the Middle East? A Hard Month of Diplomacy Has Forced Trudeau to Find Out.” Globe and Mail, February 1. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-what-does-canada-want-in-the-middle-east-a-hard-month-of-diplomacy/. Accessed on February 28, 2020.
DeLong, Linwood. 2020. “A Guide to Canadian Diplomatic Relations 1925–2019.” Canadian Global Affairs Institute, January. https://www.cgai.ca/a_guide_to_canadian_diplomatic_relations_1925_2019#Canadian. Accessed on July 2, 2020.
Freedom House. 2019. “Global Freedom Index.” https://freedomhouse.org/. Accessed on March 20, 2020.
Global Counterterrorism Forum. 2020. “Structure.” https://www.thegctf.org/About-us/Structure. Accessed on July 2, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2005. “Kazemi Case: Minister Pettigrew Makes Chronology of Events Public.” June 15. https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2005/06/kazemi-case-minister-pettigrew-makes-chronology-events-public.html. Accessed on April 11, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2012. “Order Establishing a List of Foreign State Supporters of Terrorism, State Immunity Act.” September 7. http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2012/2012-09-26/html/sor-dors170-eng.html. Accessed on February 26, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2015. “Justice for Victims of Terrorism.” December 2. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/jstc-vctms-trrrsm-en.aspx. Accessed on February 26, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2018a. “About the Listing Process.” February 15. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/lstd-ntts/bt-lstng-prcss-en.aspx. Accessed on February 27, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2018b. “Canada–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Strategic Dialogue.” March 1. https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/mena-moan/gcc-canada-ccg.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on March 1, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2018c. “Canada to Assume Command of New NATO Training Mission in Iraq.” July 11. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2018/07/11/canada-assume-command-new-nato-training-mission-iraq. Accessed on February 21, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2018d. “House of Commons Debates. 42nd Parliament, 1st Session, Edited Hansard Number 312.” June 11. https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/house/sitting-312/hansard. Accessed on July 2, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2018e. “Operation Impact.” October 12. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/operations/military-operations/current-operations/operation-impact.html. Accessed on February 21, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2018f. “Operation Lion.” December 11. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/past-operations/middle-east/lion.html. Accessed on February 21, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019a. “Canada and the Middle East and North Africa.” July 25. https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/mena-moan/index.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on February 29, 2019.
Government of Canada. 2019b. “Canada—Study Permit Holders by Country of Citizenship and Year in Which Permit(s) Became Effective.” December. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/90115b00-f9b8-49e8-afa3-b4cff8facaee. Accessed on February 29, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019c. “Canada Renews Its Military Contribution to the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula.” April 25. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2019/04/canada-renews-its-military-contribution-to-the-multinational-force-and-observers-in-the-sinai-peninsula.html. Accessed on April 13, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019d. “Canada’s Middle East Engagement Strategy.” August 22. https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/mena-moan/strategy-strategie.aspx?lang=eng#a1. Accessed on March 1, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019e. “Currently Listed Entities.” June 21. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/lstd-ntts/crrnt-lstd-ntts-en.aspx. Accessed on February 23, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019f. “Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables.” February 20. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/imm/Table.cfm?Lang=E&T=21&Geo=01&SO=10D. Accessed on March 25, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019g. “Ken Taylor and the Canadian Caper.” June 21. https://www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/history-histoire/ken-taylor.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on February 21, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019h. “Refugee Claims Statistics.” May 22. https://irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/statistics/protection/Pages/index.aspx. Accessed on June 10, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2019i. “Refugee Protection Claims (New System) by Country of Alleged Persecution—2019.” February 20. https://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/statistics/protection/Pages/RPDStat2019.aspx. Accessed on March 25, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020a. “Annual Merchandise Trade.” February 25. https://www.international.gc.ca/economist-economiste/statistics-statistiques/annual_merchandise_trade-commerce_des_marchandises_annuel.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on March 20, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020b. “Canada-Israel Relations.” February 12. https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/israel/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/index.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on February 22, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020c. “Canada-Lebanon Relations.” December 27. https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/lebanon-liban/relations.aspx?lang=eng#a1. Accessed on February 22, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020d. “Canada-Libya Relations.” March 26. https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/libya-libye/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/canada-libya-libye_bu.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on April 27, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020e. “Canada-Jordan Relations.” January 22. https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/jordan-jordanie/relations.aspx?lang=eng#a1. Accessed on February 22, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020f. “Canada-Kuwait Relations.” February 4. https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/kuwait-koweit/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/canada-kuwait.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on February 22, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020g. “Canada-Qatar Relations.” March 12. https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/qatar/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/index.aspx?lang=eng. Accessed on March 25, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020h. “Operation IMPACT.” https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/operations/military-operations/current-operations/operation-impact.html. Accessed on May 20, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020i. “Report on Exports of Military Goods from Canada – 2018.” February 13. https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/controls-controles/reports-rapports/military_goods-2018-marchandises_militaires.aspx?lang=eng#a6_3. Accessed on April 15, 2020.
Government of Canada. 2020j. “What Is DMTC/MTCP?” February 4. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/military-training-cooperation-program/directorate-military-training-cooperation/what-is-dmtc-mtcp.html. Accessed on April 27, 2020.
Juneau, Thomas. 2019. “A Story of Failed Re-engagement: Canada and Iran, 2015–2018.” Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 25 (1). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/11926422.2018.1564683.
National Post. 2012. “Foreign Minister John Baird Delivers Scathing Attack on UN Inaction in Syria.” October 1. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/foreign-minister-john-baird-delivers-scathing-attack-on-un-inaction-in-syria. Accessed on February 21, 2020.
Republic of Turkey. 2020. “Relations Between Turkey and Canada.” http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-canada.en.mfa. Accessed on June 10, 2020.
Roswell, Ben. 2020. “Populist Unilateralism and the Threat to Canadian Power.” Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 26 (2) March 26, 2020. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/11926422.2020.1730210?needAccess=true.
Transparency International. 2020. “2019 Perceptions of Corruption Index.” January. https://www.transparency.org/cpi2019?/news/feature/cpi-2019. Accessed on March 20, 2020.
The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF). 2020. “About Us.” https://www.thegctf.org/. Accessed on February 26, 2020.
The World Bank. 2019. “Ease of Doing Business Index.” https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.BUS.EASE.XQ. Accessed on March 20, 2020.
United Nations. 2020. “Troop and Police Contributors.” https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/troop-and-police-contributors. Accessed on July 2, 2020.
University of Calgary in Qatar. 2020. “About Us.” https://www.ucalgary.edu.qa/about-us. Accessed on March 7, 2020.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kilford, C. (2021). Canada’s Strategic Engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. In: Carment, D., Nimijean, R. (eds) Political Turmoil in a Tumultuous World. Canada and International Affairs. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70686-9_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70686-9_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-70685-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-70686-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)