Canada and Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an important part of Canada’s heritage and a reflection of
our fundamental beliefs. It is a significant part of Canada's foreign policy and our
contribution to the multilateral security system. With fifty years of experience in
peacekeeping and participation in an overwhelming majority of peacekeeping
missions mandated by the United Nations Security Council we have built
ourselves to have an international reputation for this type of work.1 Peacekeeping
is the maintenance of international peace and security by the deployment of
military forces in a particular area and relating to the preservation of peace,
especially the supervision by international forces of a truce between hostile
nations. 2
Peacekeeping began as early as 1948 through the implementation of
peacekeeping missions. Lester B. Pearson was an essential contributor to the
Suez Crisis of 1956, and he aided in establishing Canada's reputation as a
leader in peacekeeping missions. Lester B. Pearson made peacekeeping broadly
used. Lester B. Pearson made this happen by innovation of a peacekeeping
force to the 1956 Suez Canal crisis. France, Israel and the United Kingdom had
been trying to stop Egypt from taking control of the Suez Canal but, Lester B.
Pearson proposed an international force under the United Nations flag be
1
2
http://www.international.gc.ca/peacekeeping/menu-en.asp
www.dictionary.com
deployed to ease the conflict.3 Canada’s leading role in peacekeeping missions
is a controversial topic for the following reasons; loss of soldier and civilian lives,
political conflict among nations, conflict between Canadian citizens and their
government as well as conflict between the different political parties and the huge
cost of tax dollars being spent on these missions. This has led many Canadians
and skeptics to ask, “Should Canada continue to play a leading role in the world’s
peace keeping missions?” I support Canada’s involvement with world
peacekeeping missions and believe that Canada should continue to play a
leading role in peacekeeping missions for the following reasons.
This essay will explore reasons as to why Canada should continue to play
a leading role in peacekeeping missions. Firstly, Canada helps other countries
with conflict prevention and peacemaking, second they assist with bringing aid
and food to war torn countries, and lastly they carry out operations under chapter
VII of the United Nations Charter and provide peace building support to other
countries.
One reason why Canada should play a leading role in peacekeeping
missions is because they help other countries with conflict prevent and
peacemaking. For example in the Middle East in 1948 Canada participated in the
United Nations supervision of cease-fire and subsequent armistice and peace
and in Guatemala in 1994 Canada participated in the United Nations verified
3
http://www.international.gc.ca/peacekeeping/menu-en.asp ,
http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/military/peace_keeping/canada.html,
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/cdnmilitary/peacekeeping.html
implementation of human rights agreements and fulfillment of definitive ceasefire.
Also, in Iraq in 1991 Canada participated in the United Nations inspection and
destroying Iraq's biological and chemical weapons if necessary. 4
A second reason why Canada should play a leading role in peacekeeping
missions is because they assist with bringing aid and food to war torn countries.
There were mission being carried out to help out in Zaire in 1996 Canada
participated in the United Nations facilitated the return of humanitarian
organizations, the effective delivery of aid, and the repatriation of refugees. Also
in Rwanda in 1994 Canada participated in the United Nations giving aid,
appealed to their governments to help ease the tensions, feeling a war was about
to erupt.5
Lastly a another reason why Canada should play a leading role in
peacekeeping missions is because they carried our operations under chapter VII
of the United Nations Charter and provided peace building supports to other
countries. They become concerned with action with respect to threats to the
peace, breaches of the peace, and aggression. Also, peace building covers
operations which help reestablish normal life when it has been torn apart by
conflict, and which help to prevent the recurrence of conflict.6
4
http://www.international.gc.ca/peacekeeping/missions-en.asp
http://www.international.gc.ca/peacekeeping/missions-en.asp
6
http://www.international.gc.ca/peacekeeping/conflict-en.asp
5
In conclusion, Canadians should continue to play a leading role to
peacekeeping missions because of their assisting, delivering, operations, and
peace making to countries.