A passionate argument for Canada's reassertion of its place on the world stage, from a former prime minister and one of Canada's most respected political figures.
In the world that is taking shape, Canada's unique success as a diverse society and its reputation as a sympathetic and respected international partner are invaluable assets--at least as valuable as the country's natural resource wealth. As the world becomes more competitive and complex, and the chances of deadly conflict grow, the example and the initiative of Canada can become more important than ever. However, its assets will lose their value if Canadians don't recognize or use them, or worse, if they waste them.
How We Lead is a compelling examination of what kind of a nation Canada has been, has become and could yet be. A successful foreign minister himself during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of Apartheid, Joe Clark employs anecdote and analysis to take readers beyond formal foreign policy and shows how innovative organizations and individuals can put Canada's unique combination of assets to work and renew Canada's constructive influence on international events.

Joe Clark's profile page

JOE CLARK was elected in 1979 as Canada's sixteenth and youngest prime minister. During the Mulroney government, he served as minister of external affairs from 1984 to 1991 and as president of the Privy Council and minister responsible for constitutional affairs from 1991 to 1993. After several years away from public life he was elected again to the House of Commons in 2000, where he represented Calgary Centre until leaving politics in 2004. He now works as a political and business consultant in Ottawa, where he lives with his wife, Maureen McTeer.

FINALIST 2014 – Ottawa Book Awards—Non-Fiction

“Joe Clark’s How We Lead is like the honourable man: thoughtful, intelligent…worth the effort…. Who would have thought that Joe Clark could turn out to be Canada’s Cassandra?”
—Toronto Star

“Joe Clark brings a wealth of experience to his observations on the Canadian political scene…. A thoughtful book, one that will interest anyone who cares about Canada’s place in the world.”
—The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)
“An outstanding read. From the perspective of today’s viciously divided politics, Mr. Clark’s portrayal of the country’s history is balanced and laudable. His assessment of the state of Canadian politics is a sobering wake-up call…. Better than any book I have read in a long time, How We Lead depicts my concerns about the direction in which we Canadians are drifting.”
—Andre Carrel, The Boundary Sentinel

“All Canadians should read this book.”
—Calgary Herald

"An impassioned argument for Canada to reassert its international position as an agent of change, diplomacy and peace."
—Ottawa Life