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In a recent interview with the CBC’s Terry Milewski, federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau laid out, in broad strokes, what Canada’s foreign policy might look like under his leadership. Trudeau said he would bring back our CF-18 jets from the Middle East, where they are currently participating in the allied bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. (He actually referred to them as CF-15s, but no matter.) Trudeau also said he would deploy more Canadian soldiers, beyond the current 70, to assist in training the Iraqi security forces, so that they might fight their own battles more effectively. And he “hoped” that, as prime minister, he’d be able to re-establish normal diplomatic relations with Iran. Canada closed its embassy in Tehran, and expelled Iran’s ambassador to Ottawa, in 2012.

(He actually referred to them as CF-15s, but no matter.)

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Foreign policy has been much on the the Liberal leader’s mind of late. Trudeau recently spoke in Ottawa, where he laid out his view of Canada’s relationship with the rest of North America. The Conservatives have spent too much time hectoring Washington, he said, and not enough time working to look past the contentious Keystone issue. This is at least half right: the tone has not always been helpful. No doubt our relationship with the U.S. would also be well served by establishing a new cabinet-level committee, as he proposed, specifically tasked with managing our dealings, and especially our busy border, with the United States. Pursuing North America-wide agreements on energy and carbon reduction are likewise worthwhile goals, if for no other reason than that it would mitigate a major irritant and make our dealings with the U.S. simpler on other files.