SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: didjuneau who wrote (757481)2/18/2022 8:47:06 PM
From: Maple MAGA 1 Recommendation

Recommended By
Mick Mørmøny

  Respond to of 793743
 
Trudeau turned into a dictator after his failed lobbying campaign to get a seat on the UN Security Council.

They know what a phoney punk Trudeau really is...

Trudeau’s UN vote loss is rebuke of his ‘preachy’ foreign policy

By Matthew Fisher Special to Global News

April 19, 2021



WATCH: Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne said on Wednesday that he doesn’t believe China lobbied against Canada following its failed bid for a seat at the U.N. Security Council, despite an ongoing dispute with China over the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou – Jun 17, 2020

The United Nations General Assembly has strongly rejected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s worldview and his narcissistic personal brand of diplomacy.

For Canada’s candidacy to not even make it to the second round of balloting against two minnows with sharks’ teeth — Norway and Ireland — is a sharp lesson to all those Canadians who travel abroad and confuse polite smiles for great affection and respect for our country.

Clearly, we are neither so great nor as loved as we or our prime minister think we are.

READ MORE: Canada loses high-profile bid for United Nations Security Council seat

It has always been difficult to understand why the Trudeau government so eagerly sought a seat on the United Nations Security Council. The two-year position has zero clout.

Worst of all, by almost every measure — foreign aid cuts, withdrawal from UN peacekeeping, silence on China’s abuse of its Muslim Uighur minority and so much else related to that country’s dictatorship — we did not deserve it.

Norway and Ireland won and Canada, a member of the mighty G7, was a very poor third — about 20 votes behind — because the two European nations have been persistent supporters of foreign aid, peacekeeping and the UN.

They did not need a highly publicized last-minute campaign to boast of themselves as among the sainted because they are not a Johnny-Come-Lately. They’ve been a constant. They’ve been there all along.

Canada lost for many reasons. One of them was because of our government’s timidity. It chose to say as little as possible on many of the most emotive issues of the day, lest it offend a country and lose its vote.

1:21Champagne says he’s open to foreign policy review after Canada loses UN Security Council bid

Champagne says he’s open to foreign policy review after Canada loses UN Security Council bid – Jun 17, 2020
Our criticisms of other countries have mostly been couched in gentle euphemisms or were part of group statements that never really stated what our position was and what we might do.

Until a few weeks ago, it was taboo for ministers to even utter the word “Taiwan.” On importing 5G technologies from China, we have seemed paralyzed long after our security agencies and most of our allies have declared they want nothing to do with it.

Such a craven approach was a hopeless strategy to justify why Canada should have a place in the Security Council chamber.

The reality laid bare by this stark rebuke is that Canada is hamstrung by a preachy foreign policy that has latterly become heavily based on imposing our domestic cultural orthodoxies on others. This has made us a preening nag, a bore and — as the vote by the 190-odd countries that make up the United Nations General Assembly demonstrates — largely irrelevant, except to ourselves.

The government’s pious sanctimony has become almost cult-like since Trudeau foolishly declared that “Canada is back,” without providing a road map to explain where we had been or where we’re going.


4:07Why the UN security council matters

Why the UN security council matters – Mar 3, 2020

What is obvious is that we have a habit of selling things no one wants to buy. Worse than that, we are not even good at sales. It is obvious we are so inconsistent in the application of our values that we end up being unable to stand for anything.

Where to begin in dissecting this debacle?

The first mistake was to build Canada’s reputation around that of the prime minister. The world does not see him as many Canadians do. His performance on the global stage has been one confusion after another.

COMMENTARY: (Sept. 22, 2019) Justin Trudeau’s multiple blunders rattle his image on the world stage

India has not forgotten the prime minister’s song and dance routine and his ambivalence about closer ties with the world’s largest democracy. Wearing costumes from a Bollywood wardrobe was, at best, tomfoolery, and at worse, terribly condescending.

Daubing on blackface and brownface, including once when he was a teacher, may have been largely forgotten or excused in Canada. But there is every chance it influenced the voting of some African and Caribbean countries.

The Canadian media and political opposition paid almost no attention but Trudeau dissed the prime ministers of Japan and Australia when he failed to show up to ink a trade deal in Vietnam. They were understandably livid. Such egregious faux pas have consequences.

Canada has not done very well with the world’s Big Three, either. Chinese state media has described Trudeau as Little Potato. Trudeau’s deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, is banned from Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump has been repeatedly irritated by Trudeau’s behaviour at international gatherings.

Trudeau expressed his admiration for China’s “basic dictatorship” and the fondness he thinks Cubans have for Fidel Castro. These were rookie diplomatic mistakes of someone with no world experience or a cogent, realistic world view.

READ MORE: (Nov. 27, 2019) Justin Trudeau defends Castro comments after international backlash

On security issues, Canada has been in full retreat.

The Canadian government has been nowhere near meeting the pledge it made to NATO to increase defence spending to two per cent, wanted no part in Ballistic Missile Defence, shunted the fighter jet buy further down the road, and convinced itself that by contributing small contingents of soldiers to missions in Latvia, Ukraine and Iraq, the country demonstrated that is was a credible security partner.

A thoughtful white paper on defence was produced on Trudeau’s watch by the military. But most of the spending was backloaded into the mid-2020s. Much of it will now likely never come to pass because COVID-19 spending has trashed the federal budget.

Canada announced a Feminist International Assistance Policy that supports gender balance and empowerment of girls and women, speaks up for diversity and human rights, and is against racism and climate change. These are noble causes.

But it must be understood that as worthy as such values are, many in the motorcycle gang of nations do not embrace them, or say they do and then do as they please.

These causes hardly represent a national security policy, yet the position that Canada sought was on the United Nations “Security Council.”



2:53Canada loses bid for UN Security Council seat

Canada loses bid for UN Security Council seat – Jun 17, 2020

There were other blunders. The prime minister bizarrely began styling himself and Canada as world leaders in confronting the coronavirus.

A casual investigation of the numbers by any UN ambassador would indicate that whatever myths are being created about this at home, when compared to countries such as Norway, Australia and Taiwan, Canada’s performance in fighting the pandemic has been patchy and middling at best.

If we can’t make a decision on Huawei’s 5G phones, if we cannot constantly criticize the illegal imprisonment of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in China or condemn gross human rights violations of Uighurs and Hong Kongers, what does that say about Canada? Was our plan to abstain on every vote that came before the UNSC?

This is not only the fault of the politicians. There is little discussion of these issues in this country by the media, academics or business leaders. The UNSC seat was treated like a bauble and Canada believed it deserved its term.

We’re a world leader in what? Pray tell.

Having failed to get over even the hurdle of the first ballot, Prime Minister Trudeau has embarrassed the country and achieved the result he least wanted.

Matthew Fisher is an international affairs columnist and foreign correspondent who has worked abroad for 35 years. You can follow him on Twitter at @mfisheroverseas



To: didjuneau who wrote (757481)2/18/2022 8:53:02 PM
From: Maple MAGA 1 Recommendation

Recommended By
Mick Mørmøny

  Respond to of 793743
 
Trudeau unveils Canada's plan to seek 2021 UN Security Council seat

Move plays in to PM's narrative that 'Canada is back,' expert says

March 16, 2016



Boy Wonder Trudeau Canada will campaign for Security Council Seat
6 years ago
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is visiting the UN in New York today 0:51

Canada is making a bid to take a seat on the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term beginning in 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today.

Flanked by five of his female cabinet ministers, Trudeau kicked off a two-day visit to the UN headquarters in New York CIty with the announcement in the lobby.
Trudeau received a warm welcome from a crowd of Canadian UN employees and diplomats as he underscored Canada's commitment to tackling climate change, helping Syrian refugees and promoting gender equality



Canada's bid for Security Council seat
6 years ago
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion on why it's important for Canada to seek a position on the UN Security Council. 10:38

Canada is prepared to play a leading role on the world stage, determined to "revitalize" Canada's peacekeeping efforts, support civilian institutions that prevent conflict and promote international peace and security.

"This is the Canada of today, this is how we will build the world of tomorrow," Trudeau said.

Noting that Canada last had a seat at the UN Security Council in 2000, Trudeau said "it's time for Canada to step up once again."

Respect for human rights

Respect for human rights and dedication to diversity and inclusion are central to how Canada defines itself, Trudeau said.

"These core values not only lead to greater equality among citizens, but also play a pivotal role in ensuring peace and security within and between nations," he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion said Canada also has plans to beef up its peacekeeping role, though he said it's too early to give details on how that could take shape. The nature of peacekeeping has changed, with a trend to outside forces helping train local troops.

"We are in discussions with the UN and our allies and partners to see what would be the optimal way for Canada to re-engage itself in peacekeeping missions," he said.

Answering questions from reporters after the announcement, the prime minister defended his decision to stay on track with a $15-billion deal to supply light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia in spite of its well-known human rights violations. In principle, a new government can't simply undo contracts signed by the previous administration, even if it doesn't like the deal.



Former foreign affairs minister on Canada's UN bid
6 years ago
Lloyd Axworthy led a successful campaign to get Canada a seat on the UN Security Council in 1998. He talks about our chances for 2021 8:26

Saudi Arabia arms deal"

It would indeed be just about impossible for Canada to conduct business in the world, or any country, for that matter, if there was a perception that any contract that went beyond the life cycle of a given government might not be honoured," he said.



Trudeau on future Canadian UN Peacekeeping
6 years ago
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is visiting the United Nations in New York today 1:40

Last month, Trudeau revealed Canada would push for a seat on the 15-member council during a joint press conference with Ban in Ottawa. At that time, he confirmed the government was looking at "a number of windows" to evaluate opportunities to mount a successful bid.

Canada 'back in the world'

Fen Hampson, a professor at Carleton University and director of the global security and politics program at the International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, said securing a seat is important to the prime minister's political narrative that "Canada is back in the world."

"If we are going to jump the queue — and there may be good reasons to do so — we are going to have to mount a particularly effective campaign and explain why we deserve a seat now," he told CBC News. "Either way, it's going to be a high-stakes campaign."

Currently there are two other countries running for two seats in the 2021-2022 term in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) to which Canada belongs: Ireland and Norway.

Canada has had a seat on the UN Security Council every decade since its inception, but in 2010 the federal Conservative government withdrew its candidacy when it became clear it would not receive the votes required to win the seat.

The five permanent veto-wielding members on the Security Council are the U.S., Great Britain, France, Russia and China, also known as the P5. The remaining 10 seats are distributed to countries on a regional, rotating basis.

Canada has held a seat on the UN Security Council six times. Its last term was in 1999-2000.

Advancing gender equality

Canada is also bidding for election to the UN Commission on the Status of Women for a term that would run from 2017 to 2021.

Trudeau took part in an armchair discussion with the UN Women, where he credited his "feminist" status to his mother and father, who both championed human rights. In this day and age, he said, it's "really, really obvious" that men and women should have equality"

"That we should be standing up for women's rights and trying to create more equal societies — like, duh. That we should be respecting diversity and pushing back against racism… I mean, come on," he said.

While he welcomes the positive attention Canada is receiving recently for promoting women's rights, he said, there is still much progress to be made, especially when it comes to addressing pay equity, violence against women and family-friendly work environments.



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke about being a "feminist" during events at the United Nations headquarters in New York City Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (Benoit Roussel/CBC News)

On Tuesday, International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau participated in UN events to mark the promotion of women and said Canada is embracing its role "with renewed energy and sense of purpose."

"It shows that Canada remains a strong voice and a world leader in the promotion and advancement of gender equality and the full realization of human rights for women and girls," she said during a telephone news conference from New York.

Tonight, Trudeau will be honoured at a gala dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for his "leadership in advancing diversity and gender equality,' according to Catalyst, the non-profit organization hosting the event.