I think the crux of the matter was that if we were going to become partners in, for example, the International Space Station, we had to gain the respect of a country like the United States and particularly its space organization, NASA.

Garneau frames international space cooperation as something earned through credibility rather than assumed through diplomacy alone. The “crux” is that participation in major multinational programs—he cites the International Space Station—depends on being regarded as a technically reliable, serious partner by dominant players, especially the United States and NASA. Implicitly, he is pointing to the strategic value of demonstrating competence (engineering capability, operational discipline, funding commitment) to secure a seat at the table. The remark also reflects how smaller or mid-sized spacefaring nations often navigate asymmetrical partnerships: respect functions as a gatekeeper to access, influence, and shared prestige in flagship projects.