Russia 090423 Basic Political Developments

Why the bear and the beaver should make nice together

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PIOTR DUTKIEWICZ

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

April 23, 2009 at 12:00 AM EDT

The United States has declared "it's time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia." The European Union is talking to Moscow about energy, security, environmental issues and economic ties. The Harper government, meanwhile, resurrects Cold War phantoms and scares children with tales of Russian bombers and reincarnated KGB troops storming Ottawa from the Arctic.

Stephen Harper and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev spent hours over the past year at G8 and G20 summits but never found time to discuss Canada-Russia relations. Mr. Harper can't only find the reset button - he seems intent on crashing the computer.

Russia's ambassador to Canada, Georgiy Mamedov, recently injected an optimistic note on our relationship, saying that, despite heated rhetoric from Canadian politicians, ties at the working group level are actually quite good. Mr. Mamedov probably was being generous to his host. Despite enormous shared interests and common goals, there's no meaningful co-ordination in Ottawa of the existing programs and policies on Russia, let alone movement forward on new opportunities.

In fact, we're moving backward. Under the Harper government, the Canadian International Development Agency has dropped its Russian programs, essentially writing off 15 years invested in establishing a strong and welcome presence in Russia. Likewise, last year, Ottawa halted the only viable student and academic mobility program that permitted Russians and Canadians to collaborate in areas ranging from Arctic research to NGO co-operation, and democratic and economic reform.

We were finally working as partners to secure key Canadian political and economic interest and influence when Ottawa pulled the plug - ironically, just as Russia was beginning to make financial contributions to the program. We were sharing our approaches on the environment, youth, social programs and health, and pursuing Canadian values on better governance and pluralism.

Unfortunately, the Harper government seems to have no sense of the impact of this withdrawal. Fortunately, however, Canada's business community is ahead of its political leadership in understanding the Canada-Russia opportunity. Trade between the two countries, for instance, continues to grow. "Most of our members are committed to long-term investments in Russia, whether industrial, in natural resources, or in consumer products and service businesses," said Piers Cumberlege, chairman of the Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA).

From Russia's point of view, it's appreciated that Canadians are involved in social and education projects, as well as diversifying into the Russian economy, as opposed to simply extracting resources. That has given Canadian businesses good access to Russia's decision-makers. We have been building trust in Russia - in fact, Canadian researchers and scholars are often asked to advise some of Russia's most important institutions, including the Duma (parliament) and the presidential administration. Canadians work with Russians on legal and administrative reforms that might create a stronger rule of law. Canadian NGOs and the private sector are working in the North, helping devise new youth-at-risk programs and bringing Canadian expertise to the core of Russia's political system.

Despite Ottawa's political freeze on Russia, there are still some productive relationships at the working level. The Department of National Defence will tell you that Canadian lives have been saved because of the information Russia has shared on Afghanistan. Our Department of Agriculture, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Treasury Board and Department of Justice are also involved in projects in Russia.

And at the provincial level, some political leaders are taking it on themselves to build relationships. Quebec Premier Jean Charest decided to increase his province's economic presence there unilaterally, and he is expected to lead a delegation to Russia soon. This week, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty greeted a delegation of Russian nanotechnology experts; his government has also expressed support for better Russian relations.

But at the federal level, when we urgently need Russian co-operation to fight terrorism, nuclear proliferation, money laundering, drug trafficking, climate change and more, our political leadership is not in the picture.

There are big economic opportunities for Canada in Russia, given that our trade surplus is shrinking. Seizing these opportunities requires political leadership and involvement, especially in our core areas of common interest: natural resources; the Arctic; energy conservation; forestry; and agriculture.

Russia, of course, isn't entirely blameless in our frosty relationship. Mr. Medvedev might have taken the initiative at the London G20 to spend some time with Mr. Harper, though, given the Prime Minister's anti-Russia rhetoric, it's understandable why he didn't. But the Russians also need to be aware of Canada's reaction to ego-stroking stunts such as planting the Russian flag on the seabed at the North Pole. That may serve national pride on the home front, but, internationally, it was pointless and even counterproductive as an element of foreign policy.

We need to be pursuing meaningful relationships with each other, not engaging in publicity stunts.

The good news is, it's not too late. Ottawa can reset the tone of its relationship with Russia. The Harper government can develop a comprehensive strategy toward Russia, giving government departments, the private sector, NGOs and the academic community a clear sense of where we're going with this relationship. It should establish a joint Canada-Russia Trust Fund (in any form, either under CIDA or the Department of Foreign Affairs, or as a public-private sector venture) to support joint programs in key areas such as business, rule of law, mobility and good governance.

Ottawa should also create a consultative mechanism to involve Canada's non-governmental sector, business community and the public to share views, ideas and contacts for a more effective use of available resources.

There may be some short-term domestic political gain from taking a confrontational approach to Russia. But if Canada is going to play on the global stage - something we need to do for the benefit of all Canadians - then our political leaders must take a more thoughtful and sophisticated approach than they have so far.

Piotr Dutkiewicz is director of the Centre for Governance and Public Management at Carleton University and a member of the national board of CERBA.