Could it be that we may be looking at an election that moves beyond character assassinations, parochial fixations, and blue sweaters? I don’t want to get my hopes up, but Michael Ignatieff’s speech to the Canadian Club indicates that Canada’s declining global position may actually be an issue for public debate. How foreign! An election about global issues? Having spent the last three years talking to Canadians about their views on Canada’s role in the world, you can understand why I might be a little excited.

I learned about the speech from a Canada’s World blogger, who was writing her post as the speech was being delivered and several other bloggers picked it up on Facebook. Are online networks and news services as interested as I am? But it was more than a bit surreal when I started reading these passages...

To reach our potential our government must catch up to what Canada has already become: one of the most international societies on earth.

Nearly twenty percent of our people were born in another country. Nearly two million of us work and live abroad at any given time. We speak all the languages of the world.

Instead of lamenting these facts, instead of insinuating that someone who has lived overseas is somehow less of a Canadian, we should celebrate all our citizens. We should be more international, not less. More open to the world, not less. More adventurous, not less.

…because although I haven’t used the same words in Canada’s World presentations, I’ve come pretty close.

The Canada’s World poll released in February 2008 was the first of its kind to measure the global connectivity of Canadians, and it demonstrated that Canadians of all ages and in all regions of this country are intimately tied to the world – through family, friends, school, work, and through their travel and volunteer experiences (and despite the parochial nature of our political culture, particularly that of young Canadians).

Yet, despite this reality, the last three elections failed to deliver discussion or debate about our international relations – with the exception of the odd passing remark on withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. So, are we on the verge of a different kind of election – one that might actually shed some light on our eroding global position? Or, better still, one which might actually propose some meaningful strategies for putting Canada back on the map?

The election hasn’t been called yet and – as we have learned from this minority Parliament – anything can happen. But last week, I was dreading an election, and today after reading this speech, I’m not feeling nearly as angry about going back to the polls. This speech presents a vision. It’s not necessarily a vision I would recommend, but it’s a starting place for a conversation, and that feels more substantive than the election gruel we have been served over these last few elections.

Some might argue that a speech at the Canadian Club does not a platform make, and they may be right. But when was the last time we heard a national political party leader use a major speech to address global issues? Even during the worst global economic recession in decades, all speeches were domestically focused.

I know that every Poli Sci 101 course says that "elections are always won on domestic issues," but I’m not convinced – if no global issues are raised, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. What I have noticed, is that fewer Canadians are going to the polling stations, especially younger Canadians. While the reasons for this are complex, I think every political party should be looking at how they can speak to more Canadians. Given that Canadians are focused more globally than their government, perhaps it’s time for federal political parties to wake up and see the world.

It takes courage to go against the grain and present a vision of Canada during an election that is global. If the Liberals do go forward into the election with this vision, then I will be one Canadian that will raise a toast to them. And if the Conservatives, the NDP, the Bloc, and the Greens do the same, then I will break open the champagne and toast them all. While the prospect doesn’t seem likely, I think I’m going to put a bottle in the fridge – just in case. And if this election turns out to be like the last three elections, I can always save the bottle for another time or use it to drown my sorrows.