Canada and the UN

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Canada and the UN
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• the UN was formed in 1945 at the end of WWII to
  promote peace and world development
• originally 51 countries now 191
• Canada was a founding member
• UN rarely solves crises, but provides a place for
  open discussion and debate
• has helped to avoid global conflict, especially
  through the Cold War between the West and the
  former USSR (1945 to 1991, the collapse of the
  USSR)

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• has a huge number of agencies to improve the
  quality of life e.g., WHO, FAO, UNICEF, Security
  Council (peacekeeping)
• Canada has played a very active role in UN
  peacekeeping - some 90,000 Canadians have served
  - some have died in the line of duty

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Canada's role in UN peacekeeping Why should
Canada be involved?

• Because similarities are greater than differences
  - it is only one world

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• all people share the same basic human needs for
  water, food, shelter, access to medical care, and
  unpolluted natural environment

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• most people also share the same basic human
  values or ideals fundamental freedoms of speech,
  religion, and association a world free of war
  the elimination of poverty a share in
  technological advancements

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• differences among groups may make it hard for a
  group to accept another group (in terms of mode
  of governance, religion, food, language, etc.)
• differences lead to suspicions, rivalries
• blame can result from the lack of understanding
  or acceptance

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• this has led to armed conflict (rather than
  rational discussion)
• therefore it makes sense to be involved in
  actions and processes that lead to better
  understanding and tolerance than to be standing
  aside or ignoring problems

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What are some examples of how  problems in one
part of the world can affect peoples in other
parts?
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Economic

• economic downturns can have impact on countries
  far away, especially in the age of globalization
  (e.g., collapse in Asian currencies makes those
  countries less able to buy Canadian exports)
• crop failure in one country can lead to famine in
  another

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Environment

• overfishing by one country can lead to loss of
  basic food or a whole industry in another
• disappearance of the rainforest affects global
  climate change
• illegal dumping of toxic wastes (e.g., in the
  ocean)

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• a nuclear disaster (plant accident) can affect
  many others (e.g., Chernobyl)
• oil leaking from a supertanker, or a wreck
• air pollution

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Political problems

• civil wars can grow so that they affect
  neighbouring countries
• military forces of one country take action in
  another to stop civil unrest that is causing
  deaths
• nuclear war likely means the end of civilization

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Why has Canada been such a leader in UN
peacekeeping?
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• some countries are seen as being motivated by
  self-interest instead of a genuine desire to stop
  deaths, (e.g., the US is not trusted because of
  its vast business interests)
• some countries, because they are former colonial
  powers that controlled their former colonies so
  intensely for so long, are not trusted or
  respected enough (e.g., the United Kingdom,
  France)
• some countries are too poor to muster much of a
  peacekeeping effort

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• Canada is not a military superpower and has less
  power and clout as a result - therefore we are
  not feared (we are a "middle power")
• long history of peacekeeping - in 1956 Secretary
  of State for External Affairs Lester Pearson
  first proposed the idea of a UN peacekeeping
  force to help solve the Suez Crisis in Egypt -
  Canada provided the largest contingent of this
  first and successful peacekeeping operation
• Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 as a
  result - this was the start of our reputation as
  impartial observers

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• Canada is a multicultural country, tolerant of
  differences - represents the ideal where peoples
  of different nationalities, races, religions,
  etc. can co-exist in peace - this lends us
  credibility on the world stage
• relatively stable political and economic systems
  enhance reputation as a sensible, wise, and
  successful nation - a nation of quiet
  deliberation and appropriate compromise is seen
  as the best peacekeepers

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• Canada came into being more or less peacefully -
  there was no revolution or civil war - became
  independent through negotiation and due political
  process - this enhances our standing