Hugh Mackenzie
Huntsville Doppler
How important is the United Nations? Is it still relevant and effective? Does it need significant reform? And how important was it for Canada to spend millions of dollars in an attempt to gain a non-voting, temporary seat on the U.N.’s Security Council? What does it mean when they failed?
I wonder about all of that.
Obviously, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thought is was important for Canada to have a seat on the United Nations Security Council. He spent millions of taxpayer dollars trying to get there. He cozied up to leaders and countries with questionable records, to put it mildly, when it comes to human rights and corruption. He softened his stance on Israel in order to woo Arab votes. In February, the prime minister spent time in Africa and the Caribbean campaigning when he should have been at home dealing with the looming crisis of COVID-19. He really wanted this gig.
For all of that, Canada lost.
For a decade, Liberals have been crowing about Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s failure to gain a seat for Canada on the Security Council. Remember when Justin Trudeau, early in his tenure as prime minister, boasted, “Canada is back”?
Uh… Maybe its not.
And yet, the question must be asked: why is it so important for Canada to have a seat on the U.N. Security Council and why was it so important to Mr. Trudeau? We wouldn’t have had a vote and three countries—Russia and China who are no friends of Canada and the United States whose current leader doesn’t seem to like us much either—all have a veto on the Security Council. Canada’s influence under the best of circumstances would be slim to none.
In my view, the United Nations in its present form is past its best before date. Its Security Council is effectively dysfunctional now that aspects of the Cold War are back amongst us and the three super-powers with vetoes can barely agree on the time of day. Other aspects of the United Nations have deteriorated over the years to the point where many of its original aspirations and goals can no longer be met. It is time for some real soul searching about the effectiveness and the future of the United Nations.
That is why it is important for Canada to stand on its own two feet when it comes to international relations. Historically, we have been good at that. Having your country with a seat on the U.N. Security Council may be good for the ego, but it has little actual effect outside of some very limited status. The real effect, the real influence, is who we are as a nation.
Canada is not one of the larger countries in the world in terms of population, and yet over the decades it has gained a reputation and influence that has lifted it well beyond countries of much larger size. It made a name for itself by punching well above its weight through two world wars and consistently championing human rights and strong economic values that are the underpinning of Western democracy.
As a result, we still hold a very significant place on the world stage. We are members of the elite G-7. We regularly finish at or near the top of the list when it comes to most-admired countries. We are well respected internationally, living in the world at a time when respect appears to be a diminishing quality.
Of course, we are not perfect and have made mistakes. Many of our standards and practices today are different than our forefathers. Priorities, attitudes, and views about what is right or wrong change with time and will continue to do so. But just as it is important to remember our mistakes, to learn from them and not pretend they didn’t occur, it is important to remember that our significant place in world order is because of who we are on balance and what we have accomplished as a nation. That, too, is an important part of our history.
For me, the jury is still out on whether Prime Minister Trudeau has contributed positively or negatively to Canada’s standing and relationships internationally. Time will tell us that as well. But I do believe we are much better off building on our reputation and strength, earned over many decades, that we have in global affairs; offering help and expertise where we can, promoting economic security and social justice, and doing all of that from here. Not from some expensive and inconsequential seat in the Security Council of the United Nations.
Canada has played an important role in world affairs regardless of what political party is in power. I believe we will continue to do so as long as we hold to the principles of social justice, economic strength, and opportunity for all.
The journey to perfection, to accomplish all of this, is far from over. But we have no reason to apologize for being Canadian.
I for one am proud of it. Warts and all!
Hugh Mackenzie
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With respect, Hugh, I find it somewhat unfair to criticize the PM for not attending to anti-pandemic measures IN FEBRUARY; when very few even predicted a pandemic. It would be fairer to say that since his return, his response has been exemplary; save a lapse in judgement when he attempted an unnecessary “power grab”.
With respect to the U.N., has America even paid its dues since years ago, when Ted Turner contributed $2B? Why do they still even have a veto?
I will never be a proud Canadian until the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Agreement are instituted. Since our first Prime Minister there has been a practice of “systemic racism” against our founding community; resulting in “cultural genocide”.
Our flag should fly at half-mast until this situation is corrected.
In 1920, following WW1, US president Woodrow Wilson led the formation of the 46-member League of Nations to prevent future wars. In 1941, in the midst of WW2, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill proposed an even larger organization to unite against the axis forces and promote world peace. WW2 ended in May of 1945. The United Nations Charter was unanimously adopted in October 1945, and now consists of 190 member states with offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
Like governments at all levels everywhere, the UN is imperfect. But if the UN did not exist today, there would be an intense need and effort to create it. Today’s population of 7.8 billion people is 4 times 1945, and there is simply no hope of preventing wars, preventing mass migration, mitigating pandemics and climate change, and promoting fair trade to provide for the needs of 7.8 billion people without international dialogue and cooperation.
As imperfect as he is, Prime Minister Trudeau is working hard along with other enlightened leaders to support the desperately needed international dialogue and cooperation on all the above matters. Trudeau shines in comparison to the anti-cooperation “America First” bully to the south, the separatist Brexit leader in the UK, etc., etc.
Great write up Hugh I have the same thought;s we live in the best country in the world and we should appreciate it a lot more than we do
I love our country
Nothing but an anti-Harper ego trip that cost us millions . Talk is cheap. Trudeau did not walk the walk in providing peace keeping troops or foreign aid.