A more ambitious vision for Greece-Canada ties

At the height of the Greek debt crisis, Canada became the top foreign investor in Greece, as Canadian companies were among the first to spot the opportunity and bet on a strong Greek recovery. Today, as we mark the 80th anniversary of Greece-Canada relations, Canada has solidified its position as a top investor in the country. Closer economic ties are drawing a new, exciting chapter in the long history of bilateral relations, and will be the theme of the first-ever Greek Investment Forum in Toronto, Canada’s financial center, on October 17-18.

The forum itself is a product of the thriving people-to-people ties that are rooted deep in our two nations’ histories. Greeks have been a part of Canadian history since as early as 1592, when Ioannis Phokas, a Greek navigator who sailed for Spain under a Spanish name, Juan de Fuca, explored the namesake strait off Vancouver Island. Waves of Greek immigrants have contributed to the Canadian economy since the 19th century, from building railroads to the BlackBerry. Their vibrant communities and talented members have been making a distinct contribution to Canadian culture ever since.

Greece has a long history of working together with Canada within the framework of the United Nations, NATO, OSCE, and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. It was the first EU country to support Michaelle Jean’s successful candidacy to be the first woman secretary-general of the latter. Similarly, Greece has experienced first-hand Canada’s commitment to human rights and international engagement: Canadians rallied to support the Greek War Relief Fund during WWII that saved thousands of lives; Canada later provided safe haven to the future prime minister Andreas Papandreou during the military junta.

Today, the two NATO partners are united in their unqualified support for Ukraine, in their commitment to human rights and international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, as well as in their efforts to address common security challenges, from regional stability to climate change.

Our rich history and strong ties could also help prepare us for the future. At a time when authoritarian powers challenge the postwar international order, countries that have invested in multilateral diplomacy as much as Canada and Greece need to work together to protect the institutions that secured the longest period of peace and prosperity in modern history.

So, as much as there is to celebrate in Greece-Canada relations, it is time for a more ambitious bilateral agenda. A reboot of the relationship should reflect the new threats and identify the areas where we could further grow our partnership.

Closer economic ties are drawing a new, exciting chapter in the long history of bilateral relations, and will be the theme of the first-ever Greek Investment Forum in Toronto on October 17-18

The broadening and deepening of the relationship could start with a commitment to annual bilateral consultations: A regular senior-level dialogue would give new dynamism to bilateral relations by raising their profile, identifying priority areas of cooperation, and delivering on a joint agenda. Regional security and international cooperation should be top of the list, while the first steps for closer security cooperation would be exchanging resident defense attaches and setting up joint military exchanges and training.

Economic cooperation should also feature high on the agenda, so that we capitalize on the opportunities presented by the digital revolution and the transformation of the Greek economy. It could include a renewed effort to resolve the outstanding differences and take full advantage of CETA, the comprehensive trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, and a focus on how to further reduce obstacles to trade, investment, and economic mobility.

The sizable Greek delegation at the Toronto Economic Forum, which will present opportunities for cooperation on energy and minerals, technology, pharmaceuticals and tourism, could also inspire a Canadian trade and investment mission to Greece. Similarly, increasing regular airline connections would further facilitate trade – and boost some of the most desirable routes in world tourism. The strength of the Canadian market would also justify reopening the Greek National Tourism Organization office in Canada. And even as Hellenic studies are thriving in Canada, there is untapped potential for academic cooperation and exchanges in more areas of studies, which would also complement the little-publicized youth mobility program between our two countries.

Such a diplomatic exercise in bilateral dialogue would help prioritize the high-level visits that have been far too infrequent to push forward the bilateral agenda, from heads of state to parliamentarians. Yet what would truly catalyze the renewal of bilateral ties, and is long overdue, is an official invitation to the Greek prime minister to visit Ottawa: No Greek PM has visited Canada since 1983 – and the last visit to Greece by a Canadian PM was in 2011.

From doubling down on our joint commitment to international law to accelerating the energy transition to boosting growth through trade and investment, the opportunities for cooperation are plentiful. When the world that we built together is challenged, it rests on us to work with our closest friends and allies to safeguard our common values and interests for the next generation.

Robert W. Peck is a former ambassador of Canada to the Hellenic Republic (2011-15), and Katerina Sokou is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.