Canadian Government Executive - Volume 26 - Issue 05

28 / Canadian Government Executive // January/February 2021 E very organization needs strong leadership. But what does the word “leadership” really mean? What are the characteristics of a good leader? What happens when things go wrong and how can we course-cor- rect after a leadership crisis? In recent weeks and months, we have seen very public exam- ples of both triumphs and crises in leadership. Let’s start with the positive. After his inauguration, the first international call that President Joe Biden made was to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The President has affirmed that America’s most impor- tant friend is Canada. Regardless of one’s political and partisan preferences, it is difficult to dispute the importance of this bilat- eral relationship. While President Biden seems to want to avoid explicit references to his predecessor, Prime Minister Trudeau has acknowledged the wear and tear on the Canada-U.S. rela- tionship during the unpredictable tenure of Donald Trump. The President and the Prime Minister have demonstrated a commit- ment to shared values, including democracy, equality, fairness, and global multilateralism, and on the basis of these will move ahead together on common goals. This makes for a good start, but it is just that: a start. The hard work begins now. Leadership from both countries will need to work together to make progress on the shared goals captured in the “Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.- Canada Partnership,” includ- ing public health, climate change, and job creation. There is also a commitment from President Biden to support Canada in our ef- forts to bring back Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been detained in China since December of 2018. Canada’s relationship with China will continue to be among the most urgent, important, and complex files facing the govern- ment for the foreseeable future. Canada and its allies are facing tough questions about what leadership looks like in the context of China’s growth as a world power. Many have observed the gap in global leadership left by Donald Trump’s time in the White House. This vacancy leaves a space and a responsibility for new global leaders to emerge, but what will that look like? What role will Canada play? Prime Minister Trudeau has acknowledged that a multilateral framework is the best way for Canada to manage its interactions with China as one of the world’s “great powers”. Some commen- tators, as well as Opposition leader Erin O’Toole, have criticized the Canadian government for not standing up to China and for THE LAST WORD Challenges in Leadership By Lori Turnbull