The defeat of Moammar Gadhafi a defining moment for Stephen Harper’s new foreign policy

The imminent defeat of the Moammar Gadhafi regime is not only a victory for the Libyan rebels, it's a victory for Stephen Harper and his foreign policy agenda.

As part of the NATO mission to assist in the liberation of the North African nation, the Harper government flexed its military muscle in a significant way, not because of any strategic or economic interests, but to expand Canada's international influence.

"There's no constituency in Canada that particularly cares that we're blasting a thuggish Arab dictator, and anyone that does care is more likely to cheer our renewed pluck on the world stage," wrote the National Post's Matt Gurney.

"It plays into the Conservatives' desire to be all big and tough globally."

To date, Canadian military aircraft have flown 1,165 sorties over Libya.

Canada also deployed a frigate to patrol off the Libyan coast and enforce an arms embargo, while a Canadian officer, Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, has been overseeing the NATO mission from Italy.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird also made a trip to Libya recently to meet with rebels' National Transitional Council.

"This is a significant shift in Canadian foreign policy," Queen's University professor Christian Leuprecht told The Globe and Mail.

"In the past, our objectives really in foreign policy have been defined by international stability and open trade routes. And what we see in Libya, previous governments very likely would have sat out."

The success of the Libyan mission may just be the defining moment in Harper's new foreign affairs strategy.

That strategy, as described by The Globe and Mail's Bill Curry, is one where Canada chooses "sides over sidelines and replaces peacekeeper with courageous warriors."

(Reuters Photo)