In the News

Canada's PM Trudeau Resigns

BBC Business Today, January 6, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "In the nine years that Trudeau was in power he very much focused on growing Canada's trade relationships and diversifying our trade because [the] majority of Canada's trade, 76% is still with the United States...

"[This announcement] has really added to the uncertainty that Canada is facing in it's economic policy environment. Already the government was under a lot of pressure and we were expecting elections before October of this year, but now that timetable has moved up... This also weakens, or potentially weakens, Canada's bargaining position with respect to the incoming Trump administration.... There are some worries that this leadership gap will weaken our position." 

Trudeau leaves mixed global legacy as he exits during turbulent time, analysts say

CTV News, January 6, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "It has been a mixed bag when it comes to Canada's standing on the world stage...It would be a difficult period to navigate for any government.

"...The Western bloc and the G7 is having to contend with a lot more fragmented world. So, our overall soft power and standing in the world has declined...

"We're still not investing enough in building relationships and understanding how complex certain countries have become, notably India, China, of course, but also Brazil and others around the world, these growing middle powers."

How Trudeau's Successor Will Handle Trump

Bloomberg, January 6, 2025

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "There is a great deal of nervousness... this is all happening two weeks before the incoming president Trump takes office, and he of course already threatened Canada with 25% tariffs which have already generated quite a bit of anxiety among business as well as political leadership here in Canada. 

...While everybody welcomes a change in government, what is difficult is that for the next few months, we are going to have a lame duck prime minister who has a very weak position when it comes to bargaining with president Trump on these tariffs and other issues... We have three to potentially five months of uncertainty ahead of us."

Class Struggle: A three-part series looking at international student policies in Canada and Australia

Waterloo Region Record, December 27, 2024

Featuring: Robert Williams, APF Canada 2024 Media Fellow

Excerpt: "Canada’s post-secondary education system is facing a financial and enrolment crisis.

Philippines asks Canada to help strengthen watch over local waters

The Globe and Mail, December 15, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "Aerial patrols and satellite imagery to fight illegal fishing represent 'one of the most promising, concrete, practical things that Canada is doing in the Indo-Pacific.'

"However, she said there’s room for Canada to do more. 'It’s time for us to really develop a strategic relationship and move beyond just episodic engagement on things like this.'"

Trump tariffs to harm growth: Experts

China Daily, December 9, 2024

Featuring: Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO, APF Canada

Excerpt: "'Tariffs are going to make life more expensive,' Nankivell said, noting the world has already experienced inflationary pressures over the last couple of years due to ongoing conflicts.

"'But as we get into a world of tariffs … it's not just expensive at the consumer level, but also for business operations.'"

CBC News: The National | Trudeau, opposition leaders discuss Trump threats

CBC News: The National, December 4, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: Vina in response to the withdrawing of martial law in South Korea: "a sigh of relief from everybody around the world who cares about South Korea, but we will need to see what happens next. It is difficult to imagine a president Yoon who was already deeply unpopular to be able to survive this political crisis."

60% of Canadians have unfavourable view of India: Poll

Hindustan Times, December 4, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "When Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy came out two years ago, India was noted as a critical partner and that’s how Canadians viewed India, as a partner, as a friend, as a country with which we wanted to do more. In the course of basically just less than two years we’re seeing a completely different picture...

"Canadians are being pragmatic especially in the current context of potential trade wars and tariffs that they do recognize with India’s of important global player."

Read our latest public opinion poll in partnership with the Angus Reid Institute on Canadian's views towards India and persectives on bilateral trade. 

South Korean President Faces Impeachment Vote as Defence Minister Offers to Resign

The Vassy Kapelos Show, December 4, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada (South Korea segment at 1:01 mark) 

Excerpt: “It was a shocking, happily short-lived power play by the president of South Korea. He attempted to bring in martial law, and the opposition party organized – within minutes – and essentially forced him to back down

“The question now is, is he going to step down because martial law has been lifted, but the political crisis that he’s caused is just beginning? It is hard to imagine that politically he can survive; he will either have to resign – there are now peaceful protests on the streets of Seoul that have been going on since last night local time, and they’re continuing, and I bet there will be many more of them over the weekend.

“There is a really strong tradition of peaceful civil organizing in Seoul and the president was already deeply unpopular . . . and I think there will just be growing demand for him to resign.”

Beyond the Headlines: The India Canada Diplomatic Storm

The National Observer, December 3, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: Vina Nadjibulla features on the Mortal Giants podcast with Sandy Garossino, former Crown prosecutor and public affairs columnist for Canada’s National Observer.

"But it' also less about canada, more about the principle and about international law. What India is accused of having done is really concerning for everybody who cares about international law, who cares about rules based international order. 

"Essentially the accusation is that India decided that certain individuals in the US and Canada represent a security threat to them. That they are in fact terrorists. That's how India views these individuals, these Khalistan separatists. And that since...Canada... hasn't done enough, therefore we are entitled to take care of them in the same way that states have taken care of these issues in war zones."

South Korean parliament votes to ask president to end martial law

CBC News, December 3, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt:  "It's a shocking development. There's no other way to describe it. South Korea has experienced martial law in the past but not since it became a full-fledged liberal democracy in the '80s...

"This is very much about a domestic power struggle and a deeply unpopular president essentially bringing in this measure in the midst of a number of debates in its domestic parliament on the budget as well as scandals — including with his own wife — and other issues that have been plaguing democracy and the constitutional system in South Korea for the last few months."

Martial law in South Korea about 'domestic power struggle,' analyst says

CBC News, December 3, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "It's a shocking development, there is no other way to describe it. South Korea has experienced martial law in the past but not since it became a full fledged liberal democracy in the 80's. So this is an unusual, unprecedented development 

"It is important to note that there is no immediate threat from North Korea. At least that's not the reason why this has happened and that's important given the context of the region....

"of course the most important thing that we are watching right now is whether or not there is going to be violence on the streets.... the next element is what is going to happen in this power struggle in parliament."

Martial law: How South Korean politics spun out of control | About That

CBC News, December 3, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "[President Yoon] is deeply unpopular and has unwilling to compromise, to deal with the opposition, and to focus on the cost of living issues many Koreans are worried about...

"President Yoon's speech declaring martial law also used some really inflammatory language accusing the opposition of being essentially, working in collaboration with North Korean communists and being enemies of the state. The opposition has made it clear that the president and the party are incompetent, that they are corrupt, that they are elite, and they have been calling for them to step down."

South Korea ends martial law after lawmakers reject president’s wish

RCI - Radio Canada, December 3, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "This is very much about a domestic power struggle and a deeply unpopular president essentially bringing in this measure in the midst of a number of debates in its domestic parliament on the budget as well as scandals — including with his own wife — and other issues that have been plaguing democracy and the constitutional system in South Korea for the last few months." 

Suburbs under high tension

La Presse, December 3, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada and Sanjay Ruparelia, Associate Professor of Politics, Toronto Metropolitan University & Senior Fellow, APF Canada.

Excerpt: Vina - "India is not trying to wreak havoc on Western democracies or discredit democratic institutions, as Russia, China and Iran are doing. India is more concerned with issues that are perceived as threats to its national security, such as the pro-Khalistan movement in Canada and other countries. It is really the diaspora that is targeted. Russia is not doing that. China is doing both, attacking the democratic pillars of democratic societies and engaging in transnational repression of Tibetan, Hong Kong and Uighur diasporas." 

Sanjay - "There was a risk that something like this would happen because of the seriousness of the allegations raised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). It happened in a vacuum. No charges were laid by the RCMP, and no details were released about the “where” and “how” of the criminal activity. At the Brampton temple, the presence of Indian consular officials provided an opportunity for those who wanted to protest. And as is often the case, there was a fringe that wanted to cause damage and hard-liners who were looking for confrontation."

UK joins expanding Trans-Pacific trade bloc

Maritime Magazine , November 29, 2024

Featuring: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada International Trade & Investment Report: The Impact of the CPTPP on Trade Between Canada and the Asia Pacific

Excerpt: “A new report on the impact of the CPTPP on trade between Canada and the Asia Pacific, released  by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada at a side event with international trade experts during the Commission’s meetings noted the economic benefits to Canada owing to the trade pact:      

“'Overall, the (CPTPP) has enhanced Canada’s merchandise and services trade with the agreement’s seven Asia Pacific economies (AP7), Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand. Singapore and Vietnam. In the five years post-ratification (2019-2023), Canada’s merchandise trade with these economies grew by 38% (from around C$48B in 2018 to over C$66B in 2023), primarily driven by imports of consumer goods and industrial machinery. Canada-Vietnam trade has seen the most growth, with merchandise trade increasing by 117%, driven primarily by imports.'"

‘Team Canada’ unity test

Politico - Ottawa Playbook, November 26, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt:  "Some chapters need an overhaul to get CPTPP 'in line with the latest standards, particularly around digital trade...

"There are 'a lot of high hopes for Canada as the chair...' New Zealand got the bloc to agree to the terms of reference for the review last year and 'Canada now needs to show that it’s keeping up that momentum and adding to that.'"

Indo-Pacific trade bloc punts China membership decision into the long grass

Politico, November 26, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: "The issue with Taiwan is that it has not garnered consensus among certain members — notably Malaysia and Singapore.

“...The group has decided that the expansion is not going to be on a first come first serve basis...[Costa Rica and Taiwan] are the two most prepared applicants” to meet the high standards of the deal. “But the issue of Taiwan is held up because of the politics with China."

Strange Bedfellows: Russia, North Korea and the War in Ukraine

The National Observer, November 26, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: Vina Nadjibulla features on the Mortal Giants podcast with Sandy Garossino, former Crown prosecutor and public affairs columnist for Canada’s National Observer.

"We have to go back to the June 2024 trip that President Putin took to North Korea. At that point, North Korea and Russia revived a Cold War defense agreement, a mutual security agreement. And we've seen a lot more cooperation between North Korea and Russia. North Korea has already been supplying Russia with much needed munition& and even missiles. And of course, Russia has been giving North Korea money, food and fuel....

“It's done so in a very strategic way, sort of like a very calibrated way. China gives North Korea a little bit, but not too much. Whereas now we are seeing Russia, which is a much more unpredictable actor. And the big question mark for everybody, is in addition to financing fuel and food, will Putin also give North Korea sensitive military technology?”

Philippines to host advanced US missile unit as China slams move to ‘heighten tensions’

South China Morning Post, November 26, 2024

Featuring: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President Research & Strategy, APF Canada

Excerpt: The United States plan to deploy advanced missile units to Japan and the Philippines is "consistent with Washington’s broader strategy of enhancing defence cooperation with key allies, notably Japan and the Philippines, to prepare for potential contingencies involving Taiwan.

“It is a strategic move to bolster deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, in response to China’s military build-up and modernisation efforts and increasingly aggressive behaviour towards Taiwan. It also creates facts on the ground that will not be easily reversible by a future US administration,."