Securing an Open Society-Required and Valid?

Abstract

Canadians live in an increasingly interconnected, complex and often dangerous world. They believe that threats to security and public safety, whether it be terrorist attack, the spread of infectious disease or natural disaster, are not just problems that other nations face. In April 2004, Canada released Securing an Open Society: Canada's National Security Strategy. This was Canada's first ever comprehensive statement of national security policy and is billed as an action plan designed to ensure that Canada is prepared for and can respond to current and future threats. This paper asks whether Canada's National Security Strategy is required and valid. The paper explores the requirement for a formal National Security Strategy by verifying the requirement from an international and domestic perspective. Canadian values and interests are then assessed to determine opportunities and challenges, before the focus areas in Securing an Open Society are considered to determine validity. This is followed by a proposed national Ends-Ways-Means-Risks paradigm offered to improve future National Security Strategies. A formal National Security Strategy is necessary for Canada to be a strong and independent nation, and to pursue middle power statecraft in today's environment. Canada's strategy requires an integrated approach, across military, civil and private sector skills, unifying diplomatic, informational, military and economic efforts to combat national threats. A formal National Security Strategy is essential to buttress both national and domestic policy while assisting in making difficult policy choices. Securing an Open Society is a welcome addition that fulfills a national security need by providing guidance and direction. Improved analysis will increase its validity and make it a more compelling document.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 18, 2005
Accession Number
ADA434647

Entities

People

  • P. J. Devlin

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Commerce
  • Emergency Response
  • Environment
  • Foreign Relations
  • Globalization
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • International Security
  • International Trade
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Treaties
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Canadian European Scientific Immigration and Epilepsy Clearance Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies