Stéphane Dion says Canada needs more diplomats to build ties with Europe
Dion says Ottawa should add diplomats in Europe and assign officials to track each Canada-EU deal, warning that agreements are not being fully implemented.
- Former foreign affairs minister Stéphane Dion told the Senate foreign affairs committee that Canada must substantially increase embassy staffing in Europe and set accountability deadlines for agreements signed with Brussels.
- Global Affairs Canada has disproportionately eliminated rotational diplomatic posts abroad at three times the rate of headquarters cuts, a trend Eyre warned hinders regional relationship-building and undermines Canada's foreign service presence.
- To ensure partnerships move beyond paper, Dion proposed appointing two senior officials—one Canadian, one European—as publicly accountable leads for every agreement, with specific objectives and deadlines for implementation.
- Dismissing the idea of Canada joining the European Union as a 'false good idea,' Dion stated 'Canadians will not accept this loss of sovereignty,' noting membership would require constitutional amendments and ceding power to Brussels.
- Instead of bloc membership, Dion suggested joining the European Political Community and pursuing eligibility for a new EU research fund replacing Horizon next year, emphasizing concrete steps to strengthen Canada-EU relations.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Former Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion believes that the federal government must considerably increase the number of its embassies in Europe in order to follow up on the series of agreements it has signed with Brussels.
The Toronto Star
Stéphane Dion says Canada needs more diplomats to build ties with Europe
OTTAWA - Former foreign affairs minister Stéphane Dion says Canada needs to substantially staff up its embassies in Europe and set deadlines for following through on the flurry of agreements
By Dylan Robertson OTTAWA — Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion believes that the federal government must significantly increase the number of its embassies in Europe in order to follow up on the series of agreements that he signed with Brussels. Mr. Dion, former extraordinary envoy to Europe, says that the government's ambitious plans to establish partnerships with the European continent could fail if there were no clear deadlines …
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