Introduction: Is Canada back? Brand Canada in a turbulent world

Abstract

The Liberal Party’s surprise win in the 2015 federal election was partly due to an articulation of liberal internationalism that contrasted with Prime Minister Harper’s foreign policy vision. “Canada’s back” and “sunny ways” have been key themes for the Trudeau government’s branding of Canada, but rhetoric–reality gaps threaten to tarnish the brand. This article highlights issues in the relationship between articulated visions of Canada as a global actor, nation branding and domestic politics, noting the dangers of the politicization of the branding of Canada. It identifies key issues for evaluating the claim that Canada is back and introduces the articles in the special issue.