Several major developments have necessitated a reimagining of the interface between national security and economic policy: geopolitical developments related to the rise of China and its relations with the United States; the shift from trade concerns over access to foreign markets toward concerns about scarcity of supply and rising export restrictions; and new vectors of vulnerability created by the digital transformation, climate change and rapid development of new general-purpose technologies with dual-use applications. These developments are unfolding against an international landscape shaped by peak globalization, which features deep and intricate global/regional value chains. This report considers how Canada’s trade, investment and innovation policies and partnerships should be adjusted in light of new political constraints and secular trends to mitigate the national security risks and threats arising from economic interdependence while ensuring fertile ground for innovation and enhanced competitiveness across the range of regional and sectoral needs in Canada.
This thematic report is part of the Reimagining a Canadian National Security Strategy project. A special report by the project’s co-directors analyzes Canada’s new national security outlook and proposes a security strategy for Canada.
