More products than ever are moving from Canada to Asia, but some Canadians believe Ottawa needs to massage its relationship with China and India.
According to an opinion panel report published Monday by the Asia Pacific Foundation in Vancouver, only 38% of respondents view current Canada-China relations in a positive light.
This is despite 98% of respondents with connections to Asia saying they believe China has the “brightest” economic prospects for Canada.
The poll is the first survey of Canadians who are engaged with Asia through professional, academic and family interests.
The foundation said approximately 80% of the 275 panel members had business and professional interests “related” to Asia, but the group described their country’s relations with Asia as lukewarm.
“This unique and authoritative group of Asia practitioners is sending a clear message that Canada needs a stronger focus on key Asian markets and with the region as a whole,” commented Yuen Pau Woo, president and CEO of the foundation. “Panel members are overwhelmingly of the view that Canada-China and Canada-India relations should move up the government’s priority ladder.”