As Canada's opportunities to claim international leadership are assessed, the best prospects lie in a combination of our impressive higher education and research commitments, civic and institutional values, and quality of life. This paper concludes that as an exporting country, the benefits will come in economic growth. As citizens of the world, the benefits will come in global improvements in quality of life, particularly among the poorest. In short, leveraging the international dimension of Canada's higher education and research has potential to turn the forces of globalization to the advantage of Canada and all societies.