Introduction: When Lest B. Pearson created peacekeeping in 1956, it was a way to ease the tensions between the Middle east in response to the Suez Canal crisis. Canada got quickly involved in this mission and became one of the first peacekeepers. This paper will analyze the concept of peacekeeping, review the history of peacekeeping in Canada, determine whether or not Canada can still be considered a peacekeeping country. This paper will be divided into four sections in an attempt to determine whether or not the country can still be considered a peacekeeper.
What is Peacekeeping? Peacekeeping is the concept of creating peace in a place where conflict exists. This can be in a variety of ways, including helping in a place where conflict exists,
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Canada was once a liberal internationalist country, and Harper changed this dramatically during his time in Ottawa. The major question that will be asked about this is whether Harper’s foreign affairs have changed the way in which the world associates itself with Canada. The next section would be whether or not Canada as a whole currently things of itself as a peacekeeping nation. In today’s society many adults are continuing to tell their children that Canada is a peacekeeping country, and while that may have been true in the time that they grew up themselves, it may no longer be accurate. This section will analyze public opinion of Canada as a peacekeeper and address the main question that this paper will attempt to solve: is Canada still a peacekeeping nation? This section will also analyze what Canada is if no longer considered a peacekeeping nation. Has Canada gone the role of peace building rather than keeping, or has it changed in an even more dramatic way. …show more content…
It is an article meant to discuss Canadian public opinion in regards to peacekeeping internationally through foreign policy. It discusses how public opinion in Canada has shaped foreign policy as a whole and the implications that could exist if the public were to no longer agree with the government’s views on foreign policy. This piece discusses how large events have shaped peacekeeping in Canada and how public opinion as a whole has shifted in a direction which “makes sense”.
Murray, Robert W., and John McCoy. "From middle power to peacebuilder: The use of the Canadian Forces in modern Canadian foreign policy." American Review of Canadian Studies 40, no. 2 (2010): 171-188. This journal discusses how Canada has gone from being a peacekeeping nation to a peace building nation ever since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 by the Americans. This journal article talks about Canada’s role as a middle power in the world and the responsibilities that come with said power. It also discusses the relations with NATO and how it has changed Canadian foreign policy from peacekeeping that existed in the late 1900s to peace building, along with discussing the similarities and differences between the two.
Paris, Roland. "Are Canadians still liberal internationalists? Foreign policy and public opinion in the Harper era." International
Canada has had a long and storied history especially in the 20th century. A key part of this history is Canada’s road to autonomy. The first step on this road is Canada’s role in fighting and ending World War I. The second step is Canadian involvement in the United Nations’ early days to the mid 1950’s. The last step on the road to autonomy is the Constitution Act, 1982. These three moments in time form the backbone of Canada’s road to autonomy.
... nation. In addition to, supporting their allies, this shows how Canada is committed to maintain good alliances with their allies. They also joined a peacekeeping military defense with United States in order to gain trust from United States and become a peacekeeping military defense Canada is recognized today.
In conclusion Canada gained independence because of a series of events that took place during the twentieth century. If it hadn’t been for these events, Canada to this day might have been a part of the British Empire. Through discussion on the Chanak affair we signalled that we wanted autonomy. Through our hard work and lives, the world knew we had the ability to stand alone as a strong nation. While, our international reputation of being a “peacekeeping” country the right to stand as an independent self-governing nation. But finally through the Canada Act, we stood solely independent from our Empire. It is obvious that the twentieth century provided us with great chances to become an independent strong nation.
In the book entitled Canada, NATO and The Bomb: The Western Alliance in Crisis by Tom Keating and Larry Pratt the main issue discussed was Canada’s position in Europe, North America and their view on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It went into specific issues dealing with political tension within Canada and tension outside Canada with other countries. It went through the years of different political parties and how they dealt with the matters of NATO.
Robertson Davies, Fifth Business, Penguin Books Canada Ltd., Toronto, 1970. Sara Jeanette Duncan, The Imperialist, McClelland &Stewart Inc., Toronto, 1990. George Grant, Lament for a Nation, Carleton University Press, 1995, SOSC 2200 9.0A course kit. Sandra Gwyn, Tapestry of War, (Harper Collins, 1992, SOSC 2200 9.0A course kit. C.P. Stacey, Mackenzie King and the Atlantic Triangle, Joanne Goodman Lectures, 1976, SOSC 2200 9.0A course kit. Professor John Hutcheson, "King: The Quebec Connection and The U.S. Connection", SOSC 2200 9.0A Lecture, York University, Toronto, 4 Oct. 1999. Eric Kierans, The Source of All Our Troubles, Canadian Forum, 1992, SOSC 2200 9.0A course kit. Hugh MacLennan, Barometer Rising, McClelland &Stewart Inc., Toronto, 1989.
...ore that 100 at this moment who have been deployed. At the end Canada has help all around the world to bring justice, and aid to those in need. Canada it’s seen as a peaceful nation and it has earn that title for all this work, and perseverance to make a better world by helping other nations with all this peace keeping missions.
Today Canada and the United States are major trading partners, allies, and two neighboring countries with a long history of cooperation with each other. But is it possible for Canada to protect its independence and culture living next door to the country so powerful and rich as the United States. Since the Canadian confederation, Canada started developing relations with the U.S. As the years passed by, Canada began to relay on the United States in the national defense. Many Canadians think that the military, political and economical dependence would not make a difference to their daily life. But today more then even Canadian culture is affected by the American influence. Media, American artists, economic dependence, American propaganda and political pressure from the United States is making Canada too Americanized. All of these factors reflect on the social life of ordinary Canadians threatening the heritage and the traditions that define Canada as independent country.
The post-war time was a period where major changes were occurring. After being involved in two international conflicts, Canada was ready to reestablish their economy. During this time, Canada had started working on ways to become stronger and reputable. It is evident that Canada had matured through the post-war era. Canada’s economic progress left a positive impact on the growth of the country as consumerism became popular, and economic ties with America became stronger. Moreover, the removal of racial and ethical barriers contributed to Canadian social affairs such as the huge wave of immigration and the baby boom. The Canadian government also had become more aware and involved in issues impacting Canadian citizens. Canada as a whole started identifying itself as an independent nation and participating in events that brought a positive reputation amongst them. These economical, social, and legal changes helped Canada mature into the country it is today.
...in reasons that most political violence occurs, and how to resolves these conflicts of political violence. After the research was completed, it is very apparent that Canada has had a very positive impact on Afghanistan. There are not many countries who would continue to stay in the country after completing their time in battle. Although Canada was involved in the war against Afghanistan, the country itself still found it mandatory for troops to continue to serve in Afghanistan as peace makers. Canada is known for peace and freedom and this exemplifies just that. Canada is putting forth time, effort, and money, to improve the living conditions of those in Afghanistan and helping them build a sustainable, peaceful life that they can carry out for years to come. Every country will have its own corruption; the answer is to begin from the basics. Peace and security.
Which in turn, created a whole new set of problems or rather anxieties for Canada due to the fact that now, “[The United States] are now the primary market and source of investment for Canadian commerce” (Bow, p. 346). Now instead of the essence of the threat being a physical invasion of the United States, Anti-Americanism in this time period derived from a threat of economic and cultural assimilation. Canada throughout this time period continues to find ways in order to separate themselves from their Western counter-parts. This was especially evident during the 1960s where, “the social and political turbulence… provoked a new wave of liberal anti-Americanism in Canada, focusing on a supposedly endemic pattern of racial conflict, urban violence, cultural polarization and political corruption” (Bow, p. 346). Due to those issues in the United States the sentiment has been more social among its people and it shows with different implementations of policies that Canada has placed or tried to place in order to separate themselves and as a country make themselves look better than the “super powered” United States by comparison. As a result, Canada became to be “proponents of universal health care, national welfare and pension programs and post war social programs…” (Bow, p. 347). The sentiment would evolved further due to the issues regarding the Vietnam war, which not only created a perception that, “America is by nature inclined to an aggressive self destructive foreign policy” (Bow, p. 348), but also is the “first Cold war crisis in which Canada chose to stand apart from the United States, and this affected not only Canadian diplomats’ capacity to influence U.S. decisions, but also Canadian public perceptions of what the war said about American values and priorities” (Bow, p. 348). During the Vietnam war the U.S were mostly criticized for acting
In 2007 the Canadian Government released a document outlining thirteen problems facing the CAF and the mission in Afghanistan. Problem one is the warrior culture in Afghanistan. For the roughly the last two centuries the country has been in a state of war, which has developed a tolerance to killing, and being killed in Afghan culture. Problem two and three are the advantages that the locals have over NATO forces and the disadvantages that the visiting NATO forces have as being foreigners. Problems four and five are related to how limited time, difficult geography, and easily accessible safe heavens happens the effectiveness of the CAF. Problems eight, ten, eleven, and thirteen all deal with the cultural aspects and societal effects on attempted reform. If a negative view is perceived of the CAF, and corruption still dominates Afghan politics no progress can be made. Problem seven is that we are fighting a rich enemy, who has the ability to easily bribe and recruit the large majority of the population. Problems nine and eleven deal with the civilian cost of the war, and how it is too high. Also if Afghanistan is the test for the newly reform NATO, it is truly testing the alliance to its limits. The report also outlines what criteria needs to be used to identify the success of the CAF when dealing with these problems. Stability needs to be created in Kandahar Province to allow for economic and political development. Improved governance and crackdown on corruption needs to occur to counter many of these problems. The Canadian military mission in Afghanistan officially ended in March of 2014. 158 Canadian solders lost their lives over the twelve year conflict and war has estimated to have cost taxpayers nineteen billion dollars. Critics and scholars began to debate if the cost of the War in Afghanistan was worth it, and if Canada was successful with its goals. Understanding the historical context of
Canadians strongly believe that peacekeeping is about trying to protect people from extreme harm, a way of providing hope in situations that seem hopeless, and a good method of bringing peace and justice to war-torn countries or failed states. Canadians backing soldiers in their peacekeeping role has been so strong for such a long time that it has generated into their national identity. “Canadians cling to the mythology, born of the 1956 Suez Crisis, that we are a nation of peacekeepers, interposing between belligerent forces bent on war but, even though Canadian government officials and media of the 1990s called the operations in Bosnia and Somalia “peacekeeping missions,” they were something very different from Cold War-era peacekeeping.” Accordingly, over the past several decades, Canadian peacekeeping operations involving their military forces has shifted from a Pearson perspective based on humanitarian intervention to peacekeeping missions entailing massive violence. Therefore, my research paper will focus on how peacekeeping in the Canadian context has changed over the past several decades owing to the Canadian use of its military (internationally) force for extreme violence during peacekeeping missions. I wish to discuss this topic extensively within my research paper by focusing on vivid examples from UN Peacekeeping missions.
In the decades following World War Two, there were a number of movements which focused on global developments. Groups such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization were centres of international cooperation. In these dealings there were, of course, great powers; the countries that had the greatest riches and militaries often dominated the global political stage. Beyond that, there were countries which were not the biggest or strongest, but were influential through other means. These were middle powers, and Canada is one of them.
Kowaluk, L., & Staples, S. (2008). Afghanistan and Canada: Is there an alternative to war? Montreal: Black Rose Books.