Lloyd Axworthy

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Lloyd Axworthy.

Mark Carney must not allow Canada to be a mere spectator in the Middle East

Mark Carney must not allow Canada to be a mere spectator in the Middle East

In a world distracted by the dipsy-doodle diplomacy of U.S. President Donald Trump, it’s all too easy to dismiss Canada as a passive spectator in the long and troubled saga of the Middle East. But history tells a different story, one marked by bold diplomacy, principled independence and quiet but consequential leadership. Today, as the region edges toward wider conflict...

A Day to Reflect, Not Celebrate: Canada’s Refugee Commitment at a Crossroads

A Day to Reflect, Not Celebrate: Canada’s Refugee Commitment at a Crossroads

On this World Refugee Day, Friday June 20th, celebration feels out of place. Across the globe, the refugee protection system is stretched to its breaking point, while the number of displaced persons grows each day. Long viewed as a haven, Canada is not immune to the global tide of toughened border controls and political pressure. We should, of course, begin...

Canada should firmly reject Trump’s ludicrous Golden Dome plan

Canada should firmly reject Trump’s ludicrous Golden Dome plan

You have to be kidding – Canada considering involvement in Donald Trump‘s Golden Dome space defence initiative? Is this for real? Is Canada seriously contemplating joining Mr. Trump’s latest cockamamie idea? After winning an election on a clear promise to assert a more independent foreign and defence policy – including a move away from reliance on U.S. weaponry, military strategy...

I am a former minister of foreign affairs. This is what’s at stake in the tension between India and Pakistan

I am a former minister of foreign affairs. This is what’s at stake in the tension between India and Pakistan

The conflict between India and Pakistan is not a sudden wildfire — it is a bed of long-burning embers, lying beneath decades of unresolved history, territorial disputes, mutual distrust, and a clash of national religious identities. From time to time, a gust of wind — a political provocation, a militant attack, or a deadly border clash — fans them back...

We’ve worked with Liberal PMs going back to Pierre Trudeau. Here’s why Chrystia Freeland should be next

We’ve worked with Liberal PMs going back to Pierre Trudeau. Here’s why Chrystia Freeland should be next

When Liberals vote on March 9, they will be selecting not only their party’s leader but also the next Prime Minister of Canada. We have had the privilege of working with Liberal prime ministers going back to Pierre Trudeau and have seen first-hand the nature and number of demands made on the person who holds that office, as well as...

The Time Has Come for Canada to Hit Back

The Time Has Come for Canada to Hit Back

With each successive provocation, it is becoming clear that President Donald Trump’s fixation with Canada is more than a negotiating ploy. Whether or not Trump seeks to revisit 19th century thinking about America’s “manifest destiny,” his comments threaten Canadian sovereignty. His demeaning treatment of Canada and its prime minister — from his coercive threat of 25% tariffs to his mendacity...

Justin Trudeau has infantilized his ministers. They need more power for our government to work

Justin Trudeau has infantilized his ministers. They need more power for our government to work

In the 1970s, Richard Crossman, a minister in Harold Wilson’s UK government, published a set of diaries outlining the code of ministerial duties in a parliamentary system. Ministers, Crossman explained, were the essential link between the executive and legislative functions of government. They exercised decision-making power while being accountable to Parliament. This power required a degree of independent discretion, and...