The Indo-Pacific Forum 2025, hosted by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, marked a pivotal moment in Canada's regional engagement strategy, coming nearly three years after the launch of its Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS). But here's where it gets controversial: as global dynamics shift, Canada must navigate a delicate balance between aligning with traditional allies and forging new partnerships in a region increasingly contested by great powers. The Forum, held in Ottawa, brought together a diverse array of stakeholders to assess progress and chart the next phase of Canada's involvement in the Indo-Pacific. Day 1 focused on the region's evolving security landscape, while Day 2, conducted under Chatham House Rule, delved into four critical dimensions of engagement: peace and security, trade and economic resilience, energy security and innovation, and development and civil society collaboration. And this is the part most people miss: the Forum emphasized the need for Canada to reframe its IPS for a more contested era, focusing on niche strengths, strategic partnerships, and people-to-people ties as force multipliers. Key takeaways included the importance of investing in specialized capabilities like maritime domain awareness and cybersecurity, anchoring engagement in strategic partnerships with countries like Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia, and treating education and civil society connectivity as generational investments. The Forum also highlighted the shifting global order, with great power competition returning and autocracies coalescing, necessitating a reevaluation of Canada's foreign policy approach. Boldly, the Forum questioned whether Canada's IPS should be rethought in light of the widening fissure between Canada and the U.S., especially under the Trump 2.0 administration. Dr. Victor Cha's keynote address underscored the unpredictability of U.S. foreign policy and the need for allies to adapt. Canadian General (Rtd.) Wayne Eyre discussed China's disruptive influence, emphasizing the need for Canada to double down on its Indo-Pacific engagement while ensuring high returns on investment. The Forum's sessions on trade, energy security, and development further elaborated on these themes, with recommendations ranging from expanding trade facilitation infrastructure to taking a leadership role in shaping a new global paradigm for international development. A thought-provoking question emerged: How can Canada balance its commitment to values-based foreign policy with the pragmatic need to engage in a region where strategic competition is intensifying? The Indo-Pacific Forum 2025 not only provided a comprehensive assessment of Canada's current strategy but also sparked essential discussions on the future direction of its regional engagement, inviting both agreement and disagreement from its audience.
