November 30, 2017
The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has a new order of reference to study the impact and utilization of Canadian culture and arts in Canadian foreign policy and diplomacy. On November 30, 2017, nacdi co-founder Dr. Sarah E.K. Smith appeared as a witnesses before the committee to open the discussion on this topic.
The Committee is considering various aspects of this topic, including an assessment of the historic and current role of Canadian culture and arts in Canadian foreign policy; the impact of international trends, including those relating to commerce, globalization and communications technology, on the utilization of cultural diplomacy as an instrument of Canadian foreign policy; the links between Canada’s cultural industry, economic prosperity, social values, national identity, and Canadian foreign policy; the domestic and international frameworks that either promote or limit the utilization of cultural diplomacy in Canadian foreign policy; the Government of Canada’s role, including allocating resources and developing policy, in order to leverage Canadian culture and arts as a tool of its foreign policy; and the key elements comprising an effective cultural diplomacy strategy.
In her testimony to the committee, Dr. Smith argued for the significance of cultural diplomacy, suggesting this moment as an ideal point to leverage culture to advance Canada’s standing in the world. “In an age that seems increasingly characterized by radicalization, by the resurgence of right-wing nationalisms, by the urge to close borders and by the reintroduction of protectionist measures,” she stated, “Canada is seen on the global stage as a voice for moderation and tolerance. It is ‘Canada’s moment,’ so let’s take advantage of it.”
Dr. Smith proposed that the committee consider cultural relations broadly, rather than limiting their study to formal cultural diplomacy initiatives. This approach allows for an assessment of the operation of culture beyond government actors, acknowledging the role of diverse networks of cultural exchange in our globalized world, such as artists, students, cultural institutions, and non-governmental organizations. Dr. Smith argued that increased understanding of international cultural relations was key to how culture can be productively deployed to project a positive perception of Canada. There exists, she suggested, a broad lack of understanding of what cultural diplomacy encompasses and how it is being used. A better articulation through policy of what cultural diplomacy is will help the actors engaged in these initiatives to better understand their role and its benefits to Canada. She also argued for the creation of policy that is sympathetic to the overlapping interests of the diverse and multifaceted groups engaged in cultural diplomacy. Finally, Dr. Smith drew attention to questions about cultural diplomacy’s efficacy, and the interest in metrics to assess these initiatives. She proposed that qualitative assessment of the function of Canadian culture abroad was an important component of any thorough appraisal, and that this should be taken into account along with any quantitative measurements.
Please see a transcription of the testimony provided to Senate committee on November 30, 2017. This includes testimony by Dr. Smith and Mr. Colin Robertson, as well as a question and answer period.
