YEREVAN, Armenia — On July 16, H.E. Andrew Turner, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Canada to Armenia, was invited to deliver a guest lecture in Dr. Arsen Gasparyan’s International Political Economy class as part of the Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy (MAIRD) program at the American University of Armenia (AUA). The topic of the lecture was “How should middle powers like Canada navigate economic competition among great powers.” Prior to the lecture, Ambassador Turner met with the AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian.
The main focus of the ambassador’s lecture was the transformation of the international order and the challenges faced by middle and small powers in an era of intensifying great power competition. He argued that the period of U.S. unipolar dominance came to an end, and this was driven by long-standing American concerns regarding allied burden-sharing, the economic consequences of globalization, and the costly and largely unsuccessful military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In explaining Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney’s address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ambassador Turner emphasized that Prime Minister Carney’s central message was that the world has entered a new geopolitical and economic era in which the post-Cold War rules-based order can no longer be taken for granted. Rather than relying on outdated assumptions, middle powers such as Canada must strengthen their resilience by diversifying trade, investing in innovation, critical minerals, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and defense, while building strategic partnerships with like-minded countries. Prime Minister Carney argued that today’s challenges, including economic coercion, supply chain vulnerabilities, and great-power competition, require “value-based realism,” a foreign policy that combines principled support for democracy, human rights, sovereignty, and the rule of law with pragmatic cooperation. Canada’s vision is not one of isolation but of renewed international collaboration, where middle powers work together to shape a more resilient, prosperous, and rules-based global order adapted to the realities of the twenty-first century.
Ambassador Turner also discussed with students the economic interdependence in Canada-U.S. relations, bilateral trade, and Canada’s diversification strategies in energy exports to Asian markets, alternative trade routes, and other areas of business.
During an engaging Q&A session, students challenged the concept of “value-based realism,” arguing that Western countries have long prioritized interests over values when dealing with states with problematic human rights records. Ambassador Turner acknowledged that international politics have never been entirely value-driven and always involved elements of hypocrisy and double standards. However, he argued that the current transformation of the international system requires middle powers to strike a more explicit balance between national interests and normative commitments.
The ambassador and students explored Canada’s evolving foreign policy priorities, including its commitment to multilateralism, economic resilience, international security, and cooperation with like-minded partners. Ambassador Turner provided valuable insights into how these priorities are translated into Canada’s diplomatic practice and highlighted the importance of constructive dialogue in addressing today’s global challenges. The discussion offered participants a deeper understanding of Canada’s foreign policy and underscored the value of academic engagement with senior diplomats on contemporary international affairs.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
