Middlepowerism in the Post-Cold War Era: A Critique of Axworthy's Security Policy

Abstract

Canadian foreign and security policy has traditionally been preoccupied with considerations of Canada’s dependence on, and hence vulnerability to, the international system. Middlepowerism is a pattern of behaviour that Canada has used to offset this dependence on the international system. Practitioners of Canadian foreign policy have applied middlepowerism in different ways but the concept itself has remained consistent. Lloyd Axworthy, Canada’s current Minister of Foreign Affairs, has advocated a more active role for Canada in international affairs. He argues that the security landscape has changed and that ‘human security’ is the new security paradigm in which states much operate. Middlepowerism, as interpreted by Axworthy, involves participation in coalitions of ‘like-minded’ states, cooperation with non-state actors, and public diplomacy. This paper explores middlepowerism with a look at the Treaty banning Anti-Personnel land mines and Canada-NATO relations. It concludes that harsh criticism of Axworthy’s departure from traditional middlepowerism is premature, as Axworthy is limited as to what is possible by virtue of Canada’s dependence on the international system.