David McKinnon
@dbmckinnon.bsky.social
Recovering diplomat (Indo-Pacific). Eclectic enthusiasms. Former Canadian high commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Have you voted for the CIPS Best Blog Award 2026? 🏅 Wondering who's on the shortlist? ➡️ Canada’s Place in a Disordered World: What’s Next for Canadian Diplomacy? By @dbmckinnon.bsky.social Check out the full shortlist >>> www.cips-cepi.ca/2026/09/15/c...
We said goodbye to our beloved Ozzie yesterday after 16 years. A gentle, loving and loyal part of the family in Canberra, Colombo, and Ottawa. He made each place his own, chasing kangaroos, thalagoyas, and squirrels in his day. Sleep well, our boy.
If you're not in #SriLanka and looking to contribute to #CycloneDitwah relief, @wfp.org is taking donations to support its great work there. donate.wfp.org/1244/donation/…
Donate Now | United Nations World Food Programme
Saving lives, changing lives
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World Food Programme@wfp.org · 10mo ago🚨Over 1 million people are estimated to be impacted so far by #CycloneDitwah in Sri Lanka. Working with the government and partners, WFP is scaling up assistance to reach disaster-hit communities.
We've made it on to bluesky! Find the full articles over on lowbrow.au or on our substack!
Lowbrow
Explore approachable art writing, exhibition reviews, and cultural essays from the Melbourne art scene, celebrating emerging artists and writers.
lowbrow.au
Ed Luce's FT column this morning is pure brilliance.
Superb #breakfast in #Mostar #BosniaHercegovina with an iconic view to match. #SriLanka has a European rival in the breakfast league. Www.urban-Mostar.com
Summer in #Ottawa! My weekend’s work is cut out. #Raspberries are local and the #apricots from #Niagara. The preserves will be a welcome bit of summer in the basement when winter inevitably comes.
From me. The #G7 in Kananaskis was a significant opportunity to kickstart a reset the Canada-India relationship. Hazards remain, but each can be useful to the other as global turmoil shows no sign of abating. @asiapacificfdn.bsky.social
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada)@asiapacificfdn.bsky.social · last yr.The #G7 Summit may be over, but the #Canada-#India relationship reset is just getting started. APF Canada Senior Fellow @dbmckinnon.bsky.social looks beyond the Summit at the potential direction of the bilateral relationship amidst "the chaos of Donald #Trump’s administration 👇
The egg did seem big. A double yolk is supposed to bring good luck. No question we could use some wherever it can be found…
Business like and diplomatic--nice change. Return of high commissioners suggests both sides want an off ramp from the mayhem of the last two years. At the same time, #G7 stmt on transnational repression (pm.gc.ca/en/news/stat...) will be noticed in Delhi. #CanadaIndia www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/read...
Prime Minister Carney meets with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territori...
pm.gc.ca
Only my third visit to #NiagaraFalls, and my first in summer. Notwithstanding all the endless tourist kitsch nearby, the Canadian falls did not disappoint.
With a quote from me. #CanadaIndia #G7 #Canada #India p.dw.com/p/4vrDt
Modi's G7 visit: Can India, Canada reset strained ties? – DW – 06/13/2025
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Canada for the G7 summit presents a rare opportunity for high-level bilateral engagement after ties were marred by tensions and mistrust over killings of ...
p.dw.com
New from me. Good that PM Carney let Canada’s interests guide the invitation to Indian PM Modi to attend the #G7, but the oversimplified response from much of the Canadian commentariat suggests we have a way to go before we can have a serious conversation about what we face.
Opinion: Values alone cannot build serious foreign policy
In an increasingly disordered world, Canada needs to beef up its international relationships
theglobeandmail.com
Lovely recognition of the Casualty Identification Program @CanadianForces This small team of a forensic anthropologist and historians (incl. my daughter @alxmck.bsky.social !) keeps up a promise made long ago to the families of #Canada's 27,000 war missing.
Family ‘blown away’ by impressive work linking Canadian soldier killed during First World War with unidentified grave
The family of a Canadian soldier with no known grave for more than a century is impressed and thankful for the work by a team of historical researchers to identify their relative’s last resting place.
ctvnews.ca
📢Blog par @dbmckinnon.bsky.social - La place du Canada dans un monde désordonné : Quelle est la prochaine étape pour la diplomatie canadienne ? Une politique étrangère crédible et durable doit refléter ce que nous sommes, ce qui nous tient à cœur et ce que nous défendons...🔗https://bit.ly/4kRbWB7
📢New blog by @dbmckinnon.bsky.social - Canada’s Place in a Disordered World: What’s Next for Canadian Diplomacy? A credible and enduring foreign policy will reflect who we are, what we care about, and what we stand for... 🔗https://bit.ly/4kRbWB7
Absolutely worth reading this piece by Brahma Chellaney on Trump’s dealings with India. The extraordinary self-destruction of US power and influence in the Indo-Pacific continues unabated. Art of the deal, only the best etc etc.
The Japan Times@japantimes.co.jp · last yr.Commentary: Trump’s coercive use of trade threats against India during a military crisis, while easing pressure on China, has undermined trust in the U.S.-India partnership and exposed Washington as an unreliable security ally.
Nous sommes impatients de participer à la conférence de lundi prochain ! Avec 3 panels : 🔷Dans quelle mesure pouvons-nous compter sur nos alliances ? 🔷Comment devrions-nous nous engager avec le reste du monde ? 🔷En quoi cela change-t-il notre diplomatie ? >>> bit.ly/3EXmijn
We're excited for next Monday's conference! Featuring 3 panels: 🔷How Much Can We Rely on Our Traditional Alliances? 🔷How Should We Engage the Rest of the World? 🔷How Does This Change Our Diplomacy? @jacquelinebest.bsky.social @vinanadjibulla.bsky.social @dbmckinnon.bsky.social >>> bit.ly/438FST4
I am not exactly a church going guy, but I make an exception for special occasions. Please vote! #CanadaElections2025 #CanadaVotes
Shocking. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
9 people killed, others injured after vehicle drives into Vancouver street festival crowd | CBC News
Vancouver police say nine people were killed and multiple others injured after the driver of a black SUV drove into a crowd at a street festival in Vancouver on Saturday evening.
cbc.ca
Whoever wins April 28 must make the case for #Canada to re-engage — effectively and pragmatically — with India. #India is far too important to our economic and security future to ignore. My take, via @asiapacificfdn.bsky.social #canpoli #foreignpolicy www.asiapacific.ca/publication/...
The Case for Re-engaging India
Every assumption we’ve made about Canada’s place in the world over the past 80 years is open to question. We can no longer rely on others to safeguard our
asiapacific.ca
Apart from the arrival of spring in #Ottawa, Easter heralded another big change in our house: the arrival of six month old Patty. 15 year old Ozzie, the resident miniature poodle. does not yet seem to be as charmed as we are. He is getting more sleep, though.
Once the snow recedes, it doesn’t take long for some colourful reminders of the exuberant #Ottawa spring and summer to appear. I haven’t put away the snow shovel yet, however.
