“… Canada, on the other hand, often performs weakly in these areas. Ottawa devotes fewer resources toward cultivating relationships with its most important security partners. Indeed, there seems to be a belief that our proximity to the United States in particular means that our relationship can sometimes be taken for granted.
Moreover, Canadian officials are more reluctant than their Australian counterparts to bring a specifically Canadian voice to the table. Too often, we prefer to listen than to diverge from our allies’ assessments. This has given rise to the belief – one that is increasingly pervasive in Washington – that Canada is a free rider: that it takes much more than it gives from its security and intelligence partnerships.”
