John Rapley

Ottawa, Canada:

Ottawans - as they call themselves - dislike it when foreign visitors call their city a backwoods capital. But it is. It may have lots of museums, several universities, a wide range of cuisine, its own orchestra and some fine neo-gothic architecture. But its charm comes from being a pretty sleepy town with lots of green space. A typical 'new world' capital, perhaps: livelier than Canberra (not that that says much), but without the frenetic pace of Washington.

So it's perhaps not surprising that Jamaicans seldom pay Canada, nor its capital city, much mind. But it is perhaps a little odd. The volume of traffic between Canada and the islands may be much smaller than it is with New York or Miami, but the Jamaican community in Canada numbers in the hundreds of thousands. Moreover, it has produced some of Jamaica's richest and most influential individuals.

Will the americans listen?

I was struck last month when, at the Caribbean conference in Washington, D.C. delegates complained that they had come to Washington to talk to the Americans, and the Americans barely noticed. Leave aside the question of why it's so important to have the Americans listen to you. Canadians, at least, will commiserate with West Indians, as they feel chronically under-noticed by their large southern neighbour.

But perhaps there's something in that for both sides. Canada's government recently announced a shift in its foreign policy, turning its attention away from Africa to focus closer to home, on Latin America and the Caribbean. The previous administration had made Africa a priority, as had several Western countries in the wake of the popular push to make the continent's development a global priority.

Perhaps because Africa seemed relatively remote to Canadians, or perhaps because this new government wanted to make a fresh break with the policies of its predecessor, this new government wanted to change its orientation. From a pragmatic and realist standpoint, it makes sense: Canada is at best a regional power, and what little muscle it has to flex should probably be done where it will have most effect. Furthermore, in terms of trade and population movements, Canada has more of an interest in the Americas.

Within the Americas, the U.S. clearly has pressing concerns south of its border. And within its borders, Hispanic voters are a large and growing constituency. Canada is different. With a much smaller population of Central and South Americans, and a relatively larger share of people from the Caribbean, Canada's interests should naturally gravitate towards the region.

Our leaders getting noticed

So I have a hunch that if Caribbean leaders came to speak in Ottawa, they would at least get noticed. And with the U.S. seemingly retreating into one of its 'nativist' stages - protectionism is on the upswing, and immigrants are once again being demonised - the diplomatic returns to the Caribbean may be greater in Canada than they are in the U.S.

The Caribbean and Canada may share one thing, too, and that is the challenge inherent in negotiating a relationship with a far more powerful neighbour. While we regard the Canadian economy as large and rich, it is still dwarfed by America's. And Canadians are perpetually galled that they barely register on the American agenda.

Precisely because the Americans are seemingly withdrawing from such things as trade negotiations, this may be just the time for the Caribbean to warm its relations with Canada. Maybe, just, maybe, both sides could strengthen their hand by reaching common positions, or forming trade agreements that the Americans might subsequently enter.

It might be ambitious. But it's probably more than the Caribbean will get out of Washington for the time being.