The decision that Governor General David Johnston’s first state visit would take him to Asia makes good sense on a number of levels. First, Asia’s economic growth continues to far outstrip the pace of economic activity in the rest of the world. But its cultural and diplomatic importance is also rising rapidly, making our connection to the region even more valuable as Canada positions itself in global affairs.

Second, Canada boasts a large and growing Asian diaspora. Already, Chinese is the third most widely spoken language in our country and Asian Canadians maintain deep ties of family, culture and commerce with the region. Our European heritage has shaped who we are as Canadians since the first settlers arrived to the present day, but the face of Canada is literally changing as new Canadians from other parts of the world increase their role in our national life.

Second, Canada boasts a large and growing Asian diaspora. Already, Chinese is the third most widely spoken language in our country and Asian Canadians maintain deep ties of family, culture and commerce with the region. Our European heritage has shaped who we are as Canadians since the first settlers arrived to the present day, but the face of Canada is literally changing as new Canadians from other parts of the world increase their role in our national life.

Third, we continue to learn hard lessons about having our fortunes overly-concentrated on what takes place in a single country, even the richest and most powerful nation in the world. The United States is our largest trading partner by far, and it will remain so for our lifetimes. But the 2008-09 recession, protectionism, and the decision to put politics ahead of an energy partnership with Canada all demonstrate the need to diversify our economic and political relationships, particularly into a part of the world whose global influence is rising.

State visits by the Governor General aren’t trade missions or political negotiations. Instead, they help raise awareness of Canada in the host countries. They celebrate the ties that already exist and encourage participants on both sides to think about where we could be doing more together. They lay the foundation on which trade and political relations can be built.

As a distinguished academic who has devoted his life to education, Governor General Johnston is highlighting education on his tour, but his schedule also features visits and meetings emphasising innovation and our business relationships. I’m particularly interested in these three subjects, both as President of the Canadian Chamber and as Chancellor of the University of Ontario institute of Technology. They are areas where we are still just scratching the surface of what our relationship with Asia could be.

I’m pleased to join the Governor General’s visits to Vietnam and Singapore for the next week. It’s an excellent opportunity to promote Canada’s interests and to learn more about this dynamic region. I’ll report my impressions here.

You can see the tour schedule and follow the official account of the visit on the Governor General’s web site at www.gg.ca

- Perrin