Canada was continually an international political mediator, enjoying good reputation as to supporting UN organs, relief efforts and peace-keeping forces. Then things changed. Conservative leader Stephen Harper came to power in 2006, adopting an unflinching pro-Israel global policy and blindly abiding by Washington’s rightists. Eventually, Canada won no majority vote for a two-year-long UNSC seat in 2010.
Ahead of his win in 2015, Mr Trudeau had made a pre-election promise to upgrade Canada’s worldwide status and lead it to the Security Council again in order to reinforce peace and gender equality and promote human rights… Conversely, Canada has recently lost another bid, with two seats gone to Ireland and Norway and another to Africa…
Some observers believe different factors contributed to the loss, including Canada’s late bid for the seat, which left little time to conduct a campaign of global relations or to advocate for a Canadian seat. Competitors like Norway and Ireland had made their bids earlier.
A more important underlying factor was ignoring the voices of Canadians of different backgrounds and classes; they had repeatedly warned Ottawa not to show blind support to Israel when international laws and Palestinian rights were violated. Though that pleased Canada’s Israeli lobby, it angered 3 out of every 4 Canadians, according to polls.
The participants believe their government should stand by Palestinians’ right to an independent state. That, according to them, can be accomplished by continuing to support international relief agencies, maintaining peace-keeping forces, as well as making better and stronger efforts to resolve international conflicts, specifically the Palestinian-Israeli, which necessitates mediation by an unbiased party trusted by both sides in time of any future negotiations.
To the Harper government, Israel was always the teacher’s pet. Back in 2006, Canada was unmoved by Israel’s war on Lebanon and slaughtering of Lebanese-Canadian citizens. Neither was an apology made, nor was an investigation launched.
Things didn’t get much of a change when the Liberals came to power; Trudeau’s government remained prisoner to pressures by the Zionist lobby and to keeping in line with the southern neighbour.
Diplomatic relations with Tehran and Damascus remained still, though it had been promised, prior to the elections, that Iran’s embassy in Ottawa would be reopened. Canada as well remained negative on Venezuela’s ruling regime and firm on policies that wouldn’t encourage many countries to vote for Canada.
Eventually, a US replicate in the UNSC wasn’t desired, but rather countries with enough independence and sovereignty that would adopt moderate policies, contributing to global peace and security.
So is this painful slap in the face for Trudeau and his party going to make them reconsider their foreign policy, which has weakened Canada’s position in one of the most important UN organs? The editors