Canada resumes military talks with China amid cultural sovereignty calls

The Canadian military has resumed a defence coordination dialogue with China’s People’s Liberation Army for the first time in eight years. The meeting, which included members of the Canadian army and air force, focused on international and regional issues. This development occurs despite Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which previously identified China as an increasingly disruptive global power due to its activities in the South China Sea and coercive diplomacy.

Separately, the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) is calling on the Canadian government to release urgent funding to support Indigenous storytelling. The ISO, an independent national advocacy and funding organization, seeks to protect narrative sovereignty for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis creators. Since the ISO began delivering funding in 2021, Indigenous production volume has increased by over 140%, supporting more than 4,000 jobs last year.