blake 3:17
13th October 2010, 06:17
I think is a significant milestone in Canadian politics. Canada has always been quite popular at the UN and seen as a mediating force.
The vote at the UN is pretty revealing about the sharp right shift that Canadian foreign policy has taken. The current Conservative government has had its hands tied on many domestic issues, but have been pretty effective in carrying out its agenda in foreign affairs.
From the CBC:
Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon says the lack of support from Michael Ignatieff for Canada's bid to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council helped scuttle it, an assertion the Liberal leader called "ridiculous."
Canada abruptly dropped its bid for a seat on the council after coming behind Portugal in second ballot voting Tuesday in New York. Cannon said the Canadian government will continue to work with its UN partners despite the outcome.
---
Some observers believe the Harper government's foreign policy is largely responsible for the outcome, including its pro-Israel stance on the Middle East, cutting foreign aid to Africa, and also the move away from UN peacekeeping and toward the Afghan mission.
However, Cannon dismissed the idea.
"I do not in any way see this as a repudiation of Canada's foreign policy," he said. "The principles underlying our foreign policy, such as freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, were the basis of all our decisions.
"Some would even say that because of our attachment to those values that we lost a seat on the council. If that's the case, then so be it."
Dimitri Soudas, spokesman for Harper, said Ignatieff's earlier comments had "spread like wildfire" to diplomatic missions around the globe.
Other factors at play were that the EU and EU-aspiring countries voted as a block for Germany and Portugal, Soudas said. Moreover, some of the commitments made to support Canada did not materialize in the balloting.
Cannon rejected the notion that the Harper government's unabashed support for Israel may have cost Canada support from Arab countries.
Canada's pullout came less than 24 hours after a diplomatic row resulted in a military plane carrying Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk being denied permission Monday to land in the United Arab Emirates.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/10/12/un-vote012.html#ixzz12DE7K1UT
Thom Walkom on it: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/874277--walkom-un-vote-a-rebuff-to-harper-s-i-m-right-you-re-wrong-approach-to-the-world
Murray Dobbin on it: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/murray-dobbin/2010/10/hurray-canada-loses-security-council-seat-and-world-has-harper%E2%80%99
The vote at the UN is pretty revealing about the sharp right shift that Canadian foreign policy has taken. The current Conservative government has had its hands tied on many domestic issues, but have been pretty effective in carrying out its agenda in foreign affairs.
From the CBC:
Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon says the lack of support from Michael Ignatieff for Canada's bid to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council helped scuttle it, an assertion the Liberal leader called "ridiculous."
Canada abruptly dropped its bid for a seat on the council after coming behind Portugal in second ballot voting Tuesday in New York. Cannon said the Canadian government will continue to work with its UN partners despite the outcome.
---
Some observers believe the Harper government's foreign policy is largely responsible for the outcome, including its pro-Israel stance on the Middle East, cutting foreign aid to Africa, and also the move away from UN peacekeeping and toward the Afghan mission.
However, Cannon dismissed the idea.
"I do not in any way see this as a repudiation of Canada's foreign policy," he said. "The principles underlying our foreign policy, such as freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, were the basis of all our decisions.
"Some would even say that because of our attachment to those values that we lost a seat on the council. If that's the case, then so be it."
Dimitri Soudas, spokesman for Harper, said Ignatieff's earlier comments had "spread like wildfire" to diplomatic missions around the globe.
Other factors at play were that the EU and EU-aspiring countries voted as a block for Germany and Portugal, Soudas said. Moreover, some of the commitments made to support Canada did not materialize in the balloting.
Cannon rejected the notion that the Harper government's unabashed support for Israel may have cost Canada support from Arab countries.
Canada's pullout came less than 24 hours after a diplomatic row resulted in a military plane carrying Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk being denied permission Monday to land in the United Arab Emirates.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/10/12/un-vote012.html#ixzz12DE7K1UT
Thom Walkom on it: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/874277--walkom-un-vote-a-rebuff-to-harper-s-i-m-right-you-re-wrong-approach-to-the-world
Murray Dobbin on it: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/murray-dobbin/2010/10/hurray-canada-loses-security-council-seat-and-world-has-harper%E2%80%99