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Bob Rae: ‘Canada’s change of heart about the United States is profound’

Chatham House | 2026-03-19 | americas

Topics: Europe, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, NATO, Russia, Trade, Ukraine, United States

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English Summary

Bob Rae asserts that Canada is undergoing a profound strategic pivot, moving away from traditional reliance on the United States in response to a 'rupture' in the rules-based international order. This shift is evidenced by Canada’s commitment to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 and the launch of its first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy to protect manufacturing and scientific capacity. The primary implication is that Canada will increasingly prioritize multilateral partnerships with Europe and the Asia-Pacific to safeguard its sovereignty, particularly regarding Arctic security and Ukraine, amidst growing US isolationism and volatility.

中文摘要

鮑勃·雷(Bob Rae)主張,加拿大正經歷深刻的戰略轉向,以應對以規則為基礎的國際秩序之「破裂」,逐步擺脫對美國的傳統依賴。此一轉變體現在加拿大承諾於 2035 年前將國防支出提高至國內生產總值(GDP)的 5%,並啟動首個「國防工業戰略」以保護其製造與科研能力。其核心意涵在於,在美國孤立主義與波動性日益增加的背景下,加拿大將優先強化與歐洲及亞太地區的多邊夥伴關係,以維護其主權,特別是在北極安全與烏克蘭議題上。

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