For many in the business world, the recent announcement by Foreign Minister John Baird that "economic diplomacy" will henceforth be at the core of the Conservative government's foreign policy is long overdue.
Others, of course, see Stephen Harper reneging on what he said early on in his prime ministership. In the context of his then disdain for China, he declared that defending human values is more important than "the almighty dollar."
This is not an either-or proposition, as Baird was quick to point out when the chorus of criticism reached a crescendo in December. Canada will maintain its diplomatic priorities to promote such things as human rights and nuclear disarmament, he said.
Yet there is no denying that Canadian foreign policy has been at best an afterthought, which is not surprising as the new Conservative Party is the product of a rebellion exclusively on domestic issues. At worst, the government attitude has been tainted by a belief that Canada's foreign policy establishment is a hotbed of embedded Liberalism with a capital "L."
It is therefore fitting that one of the fiercest critics of the Harper government's attitudes and actions is Joe Clark, the former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister and arguably the country's most accomplished foreign minister of the last four decades.
Clark has drawn many of his criticisms and proposed remedies into a new book called "How We Lead: Canada In A Century Of Change."
A central theme is how Canadian foreign policy should deal with the realities that our traditional alliances around the North Atlantic are either no longer valid or are insufficient for our needs.
Canada, Clark argues, needs to develop "new kinds of inclusive international partnerships." To this end, Canada needs to identify among non-traditional partners, countries which are forward-looking, innovators, and equipped to address the global challenges of the new age.
In Asia, Clark identifies Australia, Indonesia and South Korea.
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