Canadian Ambassador Highlights Close Relations with Czechia during AAU Visit

Canadian Ambassador Emily McLaughlin emphasized the strong friendship between Canada and Czechia and their aligned foreign policy, promoting policies on human rights and democracy during her visit to AAU as part of the Meet The Ambassador series.

McLaughlin highlighted the importance of international security and transatlantic relations regarding Canada’s support for the Czech Republic in lending aid to Ukraine.  

“We don’t have a lot of irritants with Czechia, but there is a lot more we could be doing together…Some of it is just small advances on shared priorities and some of it is bringing people together,” said McLaughlin. “My priorities are to leave [Canada’s relationship with Czechia] a little better than how I found it.”

Canada and Czechia shared many values, working alongside each other in forums like NATO and the UN. Despite the difference in size, Canada was a “middle power,” so relations with smaller countries were equally important, according to McLaughlin.

The ambassador stressed the importance of Canada’s feminist foreign policy, citing the systematic barriers women faced within the military as an example of a struggle both countries shared regarding recruitment in the security and defense fields.

“Talking about how Canada has a feminist foreign policy approach is interesting because you don’t really see that in other countries. I think this approach could influence the path towards a more feminist world,” said Milla Warren, an IR student in attendance, expressing admiration for McLaughlin’s approach to diplomacy.

The floor was opened to questions, where students asked the ambassador about everything from the influence of COVID-19 on diplomatic relations to goals to strengthen ties with Czechia to the impacts of the next Canadian elections on McLaughlin’s work. 

The Meet the Ambassador series was organized by IR student Giacomo Piffanelli after being inspired by the visits of the UK and Irish ambassadors as part of Professor Gerald Powers’ class. The program had successfully hosted the ambassadors from Pakistan and Sweden since its premier in 2023. 

“[Meet the Ambassador] is a wonderful opportunity to understand what the future could be like if you decide to keep on track with IR studies or diplomacy,” said Piffanelli, looking forward to the participation of IR students and beyond at future events.