According to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, history isn’t over.
Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, Freeland refuted the post-Soviet idea of “the end of history” — that after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the world was set on a path to unity and stability under free trade and liberal democracy. Freeland said the thinking of the era was “hubris,” and that Russia’s attacks on Ukraine are a reminder that autocracy and instability have risen once again.
Freeland proposed an idea that some — though not her — are calling the “Freeland doctrine.” In her vision, Canada would favour trade with countries that share our values, because we’ve learned that the influence of free trade isn’t stopping autocracy.
Today, journalist Paul Wells takes us through Freeland’s proposal, and discusses whether there will be political will to make these costly choices for liberal trading partners.
This was an interesting listen. For transparency, I have met Chrystia Freeland (just once) and did work for a Liberal MP as a staffer.
