(If you would like to co-sign this open letter, please send an e-mail message at CN-Tellier@uottawa.ca with your name and affiliation)
(Version française disponible ici)
There is no longer any room for doubt. Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency is a seismic shift for the entire world.
However, the liberal international order that Trump threatens and that benefited Canada so greatly for so long has been unraveling for more than two decades.
As a result, Canadian policies and mindsets rooted in the late 20th century are hopelessly outdated. The time for complacency is over. Canada must wake up, adapt and steel itself for the harsh realities of today.
In short, we need a royal commission on securing Canada’s future.
The world in which Canada operates has fundamentally changed in the last 20 years. It began with the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Afterward, security trumped trade in the U.S. New and enhanced security measures led to a “thicker” border. More rules, regulations, paperwork and scrutiny caused delays and increased costs. Canada-U.S. trade suffered as a result.
This shift further illustrated the risks of Canada’s deep economic dependence on its southern neighbour, but our reaction was to work even more closely with the U.S. to keep the border open to trade.
Since then, the escalating climate crisis, the rapid digital transformation, the global financial crisis, China’s economic and political rise, Russia’s authoritarian resurgence and U.S. fears of hegemonic decline have only intensified America’s focus on national security as a defining feature of its economic relations, pushing other countries to do he same.
The policies and governance mechanisms that underpin Canada’s society, economy and security were not designed for the current illiberal international landscape.
After the Second World War, Canada sought greater integration with the U.S. – a trend that was cemented by the free trade decisions of the 1980s and 1990s. At the same time, Canada also joined the U.S. in promoting an open, rules-based, multilateral global order.
Canadians assumed, with good reason, that the U.S. would continue to respect and support such a system because it benefited from it economically and militarily. Globalization, democratization and unipolarity following the end of the Cold War formed the basis of the “peace dividend.”
Canada thrived within a system we took for granted, failing to question whether its foundations could shift. Even as the world changed around us, complacency set in – as if global upheavals and U.S. policy shifts were distant concerns. This mindset weakened our influence, eroded our global role and stifled productivity growth long before the current crisis exposed the true cost of our inaction.
No previous crisis has so starkly exposed Canada’s existential challenges as the Trump 2.0 shock. Trump’s return has shattered our illusions, forcing Canadians to confront the world as it truly is. From newspaper editorials to the national anthem echoing in hockey arenas, a new awareness has taken hold. Canadians now recognize that our country faces its greatest challenge in decades.
In the past few months, Canadians have shown unwavering resolve in the face of Trump’s unprovoked threats to our independence. We have made it clear that Canada is worth fighting for. Elbows up.
Every crisis calls for two types of action: containing the imminent threat and addressing its root causes.
Canadian governments have handled short-term crises relatively well. Just look at the success of the Team Canada response during Trump 1.0.
But crisis management is not enough. We must rally Canadians in an all-hands-on-deck effort to forge a bold new socioeconomic model – one that doesn’t just help us survive turbulent times but positions us to emerge stronger than ever.
This requires new thinking. To build the future, we must first imagine it.
Historically, royal commissions have been the cornerstone of how Canada confronts its most important challenges. Contrary to popular belief, most of them do not simply produce reports that collect dust. Rather, they shape the very framework through which Canadians and their political leaders grasp the complexities of their country and the world, guiding their responses.
These commissions deliver coherent, actionable solutions rooted in policy, values and governance while fully accounting for Canada’s diverse, multicultural, multilingual and multinational makeup of regional economies within an intricate federal structure. They are vital in steering the country toward meaningful, informed action.
Royal commissions are how we develop multi-pronged, nation-building initiatives of the kind that Canadians have strongly endorsed through their actions over the past several months.
The Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations (1937-40) played a key role in developing the Canadian social and economic model for the aftermath of the Great Depression and the Second World War.
More than four decades later, the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada (1982-85), also known as the Macdonald Commission, served as the intellectual underpinning for the trade liberalization era that has now come to an end.
While the deterioration of Canada’s relationship with the U.S. may have prompted our call for a royal commission, its purpose is profoundly constructive, not defensive.
Our ambition is nothing less than the realization of Canada’s promise for both present and future generations – a nation that offers its citizens and residents peace and prosperity, grounded in co-operation and a steadfast commitment to human rights and democracy. A nation that also exemplifies the remarkable achievements that people can accomplish when they respect one another and work together toward a common good.
We need a genuine effort to create a national policy that aligns with the realities of the 21st century, while acknowledging the failures of the past. Over the past two decades, governments have stumbled through numerous and often interconnected crises, offering a fragmented series of disjointed responses that have failed to address our transformed circumstances.
Creating a new model for securing Canada’s future means transformative change in two dimensions.
First, a royal commission needs to envision a new policy architecture that aligns all major sectors in way that protects us effectively from geopolitical and climate-related threats.
Second, it must forge bold proposals to overhaul our governance architecture, ensuring effective and legitimate co-ordination and collaboration among all stakeholders.
Our Constitution envisioned a federal system built on the illusion that powers could be clearly separated through a dual list in sections 91 and 92 of the Constitution Act 1867, formerly the British North America Act. In reality, however, most of our policies involve shared responsibilities, requiring ongoing co-ordination.
Yet, our intergovernmental relations have remained notoriously weak.
Planning for the future requires buy-in from all Canadians to bring the country’s world-class expertise to bear on our multidimensional challenges. Federal, provincial-territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous nations, cultural communities, businesses, workers, consumers and civil society organizations need to be heard.
We are all in this together and every one of us deserves a say in shaping Canada’s future. What we need now is a unified, multi-partisan, all-hands-on-deck effort to craft a bold plan – and, more importantly, to take immediate action on it.
A royal commission on securing Canada’s future is not optional. It is essential. If we Canadians fail to chart our own course, others will do it for us. If we do nothing, we risk drifting into the very U.S. annexation that so many hockey fans have vocally rejected in arenas across the country.
The moment to act is now. The future is within our reach, but only if we take decisive action.
Jörg Broschek, Professor, Department of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University
Erick Duchesne, Professeur titulaire, Département de science politique, Université Laval
Blayne Haggart, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Brock University
Patrick Leblond, Associate Professor and holder of the CN-Paul M. Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
(The signing of this letter is done on a personal capacity and doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the organizations with which the signatories are affiliated.)
Wolfgang Alschner, Hyman Soloway Chair in Business and Trade Law, Common Law Section, University of Ottawa
Greg Anderson, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta
Guillaume Beaumier, Professeur adjoint, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)
Vass Bednar, Executive director of the Master of Public Policy in Digital Society program at McMaster University; Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation
Jeremy de Beer (FRSC), Canada Research Chair in Innovation and Intellectual Property Law and Full Professor, University of Ottawa
Daniel Béland, James McGill Professor & Director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, Department of Political Science, McGill University
Jacqueline Best, Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa | Professeure titulaire, École d'études politiques, Université d'Ottawa
Keldon Bester, Executive Director, Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project (CAMP)
Natalie Brender, Director of Policy, Canadian Public Health Association
Mark Camilleri, President, Canada EU Trade and Investment Association; lawyer
Bruce Campbell, adjunct professor, York University, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change; Senior Fellow, Toronto Metropolitan University, Centre for Free Expression; and former Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Linda Cardinal, Professeure émérite, Science politique, Université d’Ottawa
Céline Castets-Renard, Professeure titulaire | Full Professor, titulaire de la Chaire de Recherche du Canada Droit international et comparé de l'IA Canadian Research Chair Holder International and Comparative AI Law (Tier 1), Faculté de droit civil | Civil Law Faculty, Université d’Ottawa | University of Ottawa
Jennifer Clapp (FRSC), Canada Research Chair & Professor, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo
Christina Clark-Kazak, Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Caroline Codsi (IAS.A., ICD.D.), Présidente Fondatrice - Founder & Chief Equity Officer, La gouvernance au féminin - Women in Governance
Daniel Cohn, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy & Administration, York University
Isabelle Côté, Associate Professor, Political Science, Memorial University
Jocelyn Coulon, Essayiste, Conseiller politique senior du Ministre des affaires étrangères (2016-2017)
Christian Deblock, Professeur émérite, Département de science politique, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Marie-Eve Desrosiers, Titulaire de la Chaire de recherche en francophonie internationale sur les aspirations et mouvements politiques en Afrique francophone et Professeure titulaire | Full Professor, École supérieure d’affaires publiques et internationales | Graduate School in Public and International Affairs, Université d’Ottawa | University of Ottawa
Stefan Dolgert, Associate Professor of Political Science, Brock University
Madelaine Drohan, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Geneviève Dufour, Professeure titulaire, Chaire de recherche de l’Université en droit du commerce durable, responsable et inclusif, Université d’Ottawa
Judit Fabian, Visiting Researcher, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa; Founding Core Member, Trade and Gender Research Hub, World Trade Organization; Fellow, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Patrick Fafard, Full Professor / Professeur titulaire, Faculty of Social Sciences/ Faculté des sciences sociales, Faculty of Medicine / Faculté de médecine, Chair in Science Diplomacy / Chaire en diplomatie scientifique, University of Ottawa / Université d’Ottawa
Elaine Feldman, Honourary Senior Fellow, University of Ottawa
Carlos Freire-Gibb, Assistant Professor, School of Business, MacEwan University
Philippe M. Frowd, Professeur agrégé | Associate Professor, École d'études politiques | School of Political Studies, Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa
Alain-G. Gagnon, Professeur titulaire et titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en études québécoises et canadiennes, Département de science politique, UQAM
Patrick Georges, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Randall Germain, Professor, Department of Political Science, Carleton University
Alexandra Gheciu, Professor | Professeure titulaire, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs | École supérieure d'affaires publiques et internationales, University of Ottawa | Université d’Ottawa
Tom Goldsmith PhD, Founder & Principal, Orbit Policy
David Gray, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Ottawa
David Grondin, Professeur titulaire, Département de communication, Université de Montréal
Pierre Guimond, Expert en résidence, École supérieure d’études internationales, Université Laval ; ancien diplomate et fonctionnaire aux gouvernements du Canada et du Québec
Arjun Gupta, law student, University of Ottawa
Paul Hamilton, Associate Professor of Political Science, Brock University
Alex He, Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation
Denise Hearn, Resident Senior Fellow, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment and co-author, The Big Fix: How Companies Capture Markets and Harm Canadians
Eric Helleiner, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo
Stéfanie von Hlatky, Professor & Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Gender, Security and the Armed Forces, Department of Political Studies, Queen’s University
Peter Hicks, Social Policy Advisor, Peter Hicks Consulting
Achim Hurrelmann, Professor, Department of Political Science, Carleton University
Lavagnon Ika, Full Professor of Project Management and Founding Director of the Major Projects Observatory, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa
Juliet Johnson (FSRC), Professor of Political Science, McGill University
Thomas Juneau, Professeur titulaire, École supérieure d’affaires publiques et internationales, Université d’Ottawa
Ryan M. Katz-Rosene, Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
Jean-Pierre Kingsley (C.M.), Honorary Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Tamara Krawchenko, Associate Professor, School of Public Administration, University of Victoria
Chris Kukucha, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Lethbridge
André Laliberté, Professeur titulaire, École d’études politiques, Université d’Ottawa
André Lecours, Professeur titulaire, École d’études politiques, Université d’Ottawa
Jean-François Lépine, journaliste et ancien Représentant du Québec en Chine
Evert Lindquist, Professor, School of Administration, University of Victoria
Willem Maas, Professor, Glendon Political Science, York University
Laura Macdonald, Chancellor’s Professor, Department of Political Science and Institute of Political Economy, Carleton University
Heather MacRae, Associate Professor, Political Science, York University
Jeff Mahon, Director of Geopolitical Advisory Practice, StrategyCorp
José Carlos Marques, Associate Professor of Strategic Management, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa
David Martin, Owner CSL Group and former Board Chair of WWF Canada
Justin Massie, Professeur titulaire, Département de science politique, UQAM
Pascale Massot, Professeure agrégée/Associate Professor, École d'études politiques/School of Political Studies, Université d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa
Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa; Board Director, China Strategic Risks Institute
Rohinton P. Medhora, Professor of Practice, McGill University; Distinguished Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation.
Errol P. Mendes (O.Ont, LSM, FRSC), Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa; President, International Commission of Jurists, Canadian Section
Frédéric Mérand, Professeur titulaire et directeur, Département de science politique, Université de Montréal
Nelson Michaud, Professeur titulaire, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)
Liam Midzain-Gobin, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Brock University
John Milloy, former M.P.P. and Ontario Cabinet Minister; Assistant Professor of Public Ethics, Martin Luther University College and Practitioner-in-Residence, Department of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University
Jennifer Mustapha, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Huron University
Costanza Musu, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Alex Neve, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Kim Richard Nossal (FRSC), Professor emeritus, Centre for International and Defence Policy, Queen’s University
Jeremy Paltiel, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Carleton University
David Pavot, Professeur agrégé de droit international, titulaire de la Chaire de recherche sur le sport responsable, Université de Sherbrooke
David Plunkett, Chairman, Management Board, Canada EU Trade and Investment Association (CEUTIA)
L. Philippe Rheault, Director, The China Institute, University of Alberta
Alasdair Roberts, Professor of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Stéphane Roussel, Professeur titulaire, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)
Horatiu A. Rus, Associate Professor, Departments of Economics and Political Science, University of Waterloo
Stephen M. Saideman, Paterson Chair in International Affairs, Carleton University
Guy Saint-Jacques (C.M., O.Q.), ex-ambassadeur du Canada en Chine et Fellow à l’Institut d’études internationales de Montréal
Mark B. Salter, Professor / Professeur titulaire, School of Political Studies / Études politiques, Vice-Dean, Research / Vice-doyen à la recherche, University of Ottawa / Université d’Ottawa
Shirley Anne Scharf, Visiting Researcher, CN-Paul M. Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy, University of Ottawa; Postdoctoral Fellow, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto
Sandelle Scrimshaw, Honorary Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa; former High Commissioner and Ambassador of Canada
Scott E. Simon, Professeur, École d’études sociologiques et anthropologiques; Co-titulaire, Chaire de recherche en études taïwanaises, Université d'Ottawa
Jeffrey Simpson (O.C.), Author, Globe and Mail columnist (1984-2016).
Hugh Stephens, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Stephen Tapp
Paul M. Tellier (P.C., C.C.), Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet (1985-1992); President and CEO, Canadian National Railway Company (1992-2002); President and CEO, Bombardier Inc. (2003-2004)
Anoush F. Terjanian, Fellow, Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa
Vincent Thivierge, Professeur adjoint, Département de science économique et Institut de l'environnement, Université d'Ottawa
Lillian Thomsen, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Valériane Thool, chercheuse postdoctorale affiliée à la Chaire de recherche en droit du commerce durable, responsable et inclusif, Université d’Ottawa
Sule Tomkinson, Professeure agrégée, Département de science politique, Université Laval
Arjun Tremblay, Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Regina
Miville Tremblay, Senior Fellow, Institut CD Howe, Fellow invité, CIRANO
Luc Turgeon, Professeur titulaire, École d’études politiques, Université d’Ottawa
Natasha Tusikov, Assocate Professor, Department of Social Science, York University
Trygve Ugland, Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, Bishop’s University
Amy Verdun, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Victoria
Crina Viju-Miljusevic, Associate Professor, Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, Carleton University
Srdjan Vucetic, Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Wesley Wark, Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation
Elke Winter, Professeure titulaire, École des études sociologiques et anthropologiques, Université d’Ottawa
David A. Wolfe, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Co-Director, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto
Pag-yendu M. Yentcharé, LL.D., Assistant Professor | Professeur adjoint, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs | École supérieure d'affaires publiques et internationales, University of Ottawa | Université d'Ottawa
Benjamin Zyla, Full Professor, School of International Development & Global Studies, University of Ottawa