Maritime Nation Program

The Atlantic Council has for many years been one of those too-few bodies in Canada devoted to encouraging an active dialogue on Canada's evolving role and responsibilities in the world.  Primarily focussed on exploring the critical importance of trans-Atlantic relationships it has, in more recent years, expanded the scope of analysis to examine how best we can capitalize on our unique geostrategic position, and on our experience in and reputation for promoting and helping to establish and maintain international peace and order.  The recent initiative to examine Canada from the perspective of it being a maritime nation, with compelling sovereign responsilities in our own immense, off-shore estates, and growing dependence on globalized and secure trading networks, is entirely in keeping with this expanded focus of inquiry.  It is a perspective not inhertently obvious to many Canadians who live in the vast expanses of our land and thus far from the seas, but who are none-the-less bound and dependant upon their use.  It will indeed be a challenge to foster and encourage the debate and the understanding it must bring, but that is the role of the Atlantic Council and one that it has performed admirably for many years.  There are few issues that demand more immediate attention than the Maritime Nation Inititaive they have undertaken and in its pursuit they have my full support.