On March 11 2026, PACIS held a special guest lecture delivered by the Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr. HE Jess Dutton. The lecture, which was attended by around 150 students, also presented Dr. Rizky Widiwan, Annissa Wiharani and Marshell Adiputra as discussants and guided by Meyta Saraswati as moderator.
In his presentation, the Canadian Ambassador expressed his hope to strengthen relations with Indonesia in various fields, including trade and education.
Canada is the eighth largest country in terms of economy and is a member of the G7. Canada is a trading nation. Canada’s economy is highly dependent on trade with trade’s contribution to GDP reaching 61%. With this consideration, Canada is very active in increasing trade with its partners, including Indonesia. Contribution to global trade reaches 2.2%, even though the population is only 0.5% of the total global population. Canadian exports reached 997 billion dollars in 2025. Canada has oil and gas resources and also renewable sources which are very important for the Canadian economy.
Relations between Canada and Indonesia continue to improve over time. Indonesia is an important trading partner for Canada, with a surplus on the Indonesian side. For Canada, Indonesia is the largest market. Canada supports programs to promote gender equality and protect human rights for women. President Prabowo Subianto has paid a state visit to Canada in an effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation. During the visit, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed by the Ministers of Trade from each country. This agreement is a form of commitment to improve bilateral relations between the two countries. Negotiations have been carried out for three years until an agreement was reached in a spirit of mutual understanding and readiness to compromise.
The presentation by Canadian Ambassador HE Jeff Dutton received a positive response from the discussants. Rizky Widian appreciated Canada’s role as a middle power in strengthening global multilateralism. Annisa Wiharani emphasized the importance of Canada’s role in strengthening cooperation in the field of education, especially for young people. Marshell Adiputra highlighted Canada’s position as a predictable and reliable partner that can support stability in the current context of global uncertainty.
A number of students also welcomed the Canadian Ambassador’s presentation as expressed through various questions that arose, including about the relationship between Canada, Indonesia and the Global South in the current difficult situation, issues of gender equality and the Arctic.
The special guest lecture which was held in a warm atmosphere helped increase in-depth knowledge among Unpar lecturers and students regarding the relationship between Canada and Indonesia which was established in 1952. It is hoped that the relationship between Unpar and the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia will also become closer in the future.
