Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly says Canada has been considering a 害羞草研究所済ame plan害羞草研究所� for how it would respond if the United States takes a far-right, authoritarian shift after next year害羞草研究所檚 presidential elections.
害羞草研究所淲e are certainly working on scenarios,害羞草研究所� Joly said in French during an interview with a Montreal radio station Wednesday.
Joly added that Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 close political and economic ties to the U.S. means that 害羞草研究所渨e must certainly prepare several scenarios.害羞草研究所�
She suggested Canada has a game plan in mind but wouldn害羞草研究所檛 get into details.
害羞草研究所淚n general, there is our game plan, precisely to be able to manage what could be a rather difficult situation,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淚 will work with my colleagues and with the mayors, the provincial premiers, with the business community, with the unions, with everyone in the country, so that we are ready regardless of the election outcome.害羞草研究所�
Joly drew an analogy to her government害羞草研究所檚 experience working with the administration of former U.S. president Donald Trump, which sought to limit long-established trade in crucial sectors.
Trump is again running for the Republican nomination in next November害羞草研究所檚 election, and has promised 害羞草研究所渞etribution害羞草研究所� against his opponents and civil servants.
The U.S. embassy in Ottawa declined to comment on Joly害羞草研究所檚 remarks.
University of Ottawa national-security professor Thomas Juneau said many Canadians might find it far-fetched to talk about Washington falling drastically out of step with Canada.
But he there has been an extreme rise in global volatility in recent years, he said in a Thursday interview.
害羞草研究所淲hat would have been extremely far-fetched scenarios maybe 10 years ago, today are not impossible anymore,害羞草研究所� he said.
Juneau said Canada could face the prospect of political refugees, economic protectionism in one of the largest trading relationships in the world and a shock to Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 reliance on the U.S. for intelligence-sharing and scientific co-operation.
Those factors don害羞草研究所檛 include missile defence and military protection.
害羞草研究所淚f an increasingly authoritarian U.S. is increasingly unilateral and dismissive of traditional alliances like NATO or arrangements like Norad, how does that damage our security?害羞草研究所� Juneau asked.
He said another question would be around American intervention in Canadian democratic processes. Already, far-right politicians in the U.S. voiced support for the 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所� protests in 2022.
At the time, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is now running against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, both fought against attempts to prevent Americans from donating to convoy protesters.
In September 2021, the Liberals promised a to create a 害羞草研究所淐anadian centre for global democracy害羞草研究所� to shore up like-minded countries in age of rising authoritarianism, but the project has not yet launched.
NDP foreign-affairs critic Heather McPherson said it害羞草研究所檚 only logical that Ottawa plan for an aggressive Washington. She said Canada would benefit from stronger ties with other allies, even if it ends up remaining on good terms with the U.S.
害羞草研究所淒onald Trump is a scourge on democracy across the world,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淔rankly, Canada better have a plan for a decline in American democracy.害羞草研究所�
Meanwhile, Juneau said he hasn害羞草研究所檛 heard of other countries saying publicly that they have contingency plans if Uncle Sam takes an authoritarian turn.
害羞草研究所淭his is very sensitive for any democratic ally of the U.S.,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淢y guess is that any ally will be very, very discreet about this.害羞草研究所�
Generally, Canada害羞草研究所檚 allies have used language focused on the risks of America withdrawing from the world stage.
France害羞草研究所檚 ambassador to Canada said last April that closer ties between Ottawa and Europe could protect both from Washington pulling inward.
害羞草研究所淭his nagging question of the future American commitment offers, in any case more than ever, the opportunity for Europe, France and Canada to play a role together,害羞草研究所� Michel Miraillet said in French at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.
He cited the Iraq War, Barack Obama害羞草研究所檚 Democratic administration opting against intervening in Syria, the limited pushback to Russia害羞草研究所檚 2014 takeover of Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 Crimea region and the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan.
害羞草研究所淭he withdrawal from the world stage, initiated under Obama and amplified under Trump, has proved disastrous, as it created a vacuum quickly filled by the rival powers and opened a field of expansion for Russia,害羞草研究所� Miraillet said at the time.
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