Give Peacekeeping a Chance

The United Nations has asked Canada to take command of approximately 20,000 peacekeepers currently deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The U.N.’s Mission, known as MONUC, has been in The Congo for over ten years and its peacekeepers are training and equipping Congolese police and soldiers, protecting civilians, and disarming rogue militia combatants.  It is the largest single peacekeeping mission in the U.N.’s history.  Canada should jump at this chance to reestablish its peacekeeping reputation and in the process further establish its position as a global leader.

As every Canadian knows, Canada has long been associated with the United Nations’ peacekeeping role.  Prime Minister Pearson invented the concept in 1956 and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Since then, Canadians have served in over 30 UN peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping is a Canadian tradition and is indelibly linked to Canada’s unique identity and character.

Peacekeeping assignments promise to take on an even more relevant and vital role this century as the world become increasingly interdependent, as global security issues becomes more complex and as unilateral military actions become less palatable and indeed less effective. As a result, an entrenched peacekeeping tradition, like Canada’s, will become equated with leading world power status.

Yet, recently Canada has moved away from its tradition. This is primarily due to the conservative government’s commitment to NATO-led military operations in Afghanistan.  Unlike most peacekeeping missions Canada has been involved with, most Canadians oppose Canada’s military presence in Afghanistan. This is probably because it is viewed as a U.S. led war and a vestige of the Bush era’s doctrine, never subscribed to by Canada, of preemptive strike.

More importantly, Canada’s large troop presence in Afghanistan prevents Canada from maintaining its traditional peacekeeping presence elsewhere.  Canada’s commitment to the U.S. to take on the Taliban has resulted in barely 200 Canadians serving in UN peacekeeping efforts today. The one thing Canadians detest more than losing a piece of their Canadian identity is losing it at the behest of the United States.

To make matters worse, the Canadian government recently decided to shift its foreign aid away from several African nations to other countries with which Canada has lucrative trading partnerships. The move immediately tarnished Canada’s global reputation for selflessness, another key trait of Canada and one that is essential for a leading power.  The policy shift was certainly not well received in Africa, the location of many UN peacekeeping operations. Because of Canada’s new aid policy, the 53-nation African Union will likely vote against Canada in its upcoming bid for a two-year term to the UN Security Council. The African Union’s unified resistance to Canada in the General Assembly may very well be enough to break Canada’s streak of having a seat on the Security Council once in every decade since the Security Council was founded. To the extent the Canadian Government was seeking to increase Canada’s global stature by shifting aid to countries it considered of more economic importance to Canada, its actions may very well backfire. Again, Canada’s new aid policy is an offence to the traditional role, and the increased role, that Canadians see for themselves on the world stage.

It is not all bad for the Conservatives mind you. To be fair to the Prime Minister, his government has largely lived up to the 2005 G8 pledge to double aid to developing countries by 2010.  Canada leads the G8 in this regard and such leadership is a truly Canadian feat. Also, the Canadian government should be applauded for standing firm on its commitment to end Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan next year. The simple act of sticking to its decision to pull out its troops despite U.S. insistence that they stay does more for Canada’s superpower aspirations than any government tinkering with our traditional notions of nationhood.

Moreover, recent events in Africa have further highlighted Canada’s singular commitment to the region and to peacekeeping.  Last week, Governor General Michaelle Jean visited The Congo as part of a ten-day trip to Central Africa.  She was warmly received and, while there, she managed to shine a global spotlight on the horrible human rights abuses that continue to take place. Importantly, the Congolese, as well as current UN commanders, implored her that Canadian peacekeepers were needed to help rid The Congo of the lawlessness. They also assured her Canadians would be welcome in the country.

In contrast, during that very same week, the Assistant U.S. Secretary of State rebuffed further aid requests to The Congo and, with nary a word on the continued crisis, coldly and naively suggested that The Congo improve its business climate so that it could attract foreign investment. Also during this same week, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council cancelled their planned trip to the region because it wanted to further debate Iran nuclear sanctions, a crisis that seems downright fabricated compared to the real problems facing The Congo.

All of this has helped reaffirm Canada’s peacekeeping potential. Therefore, the stage is set for the prodigal son to return to the peacekeeping fold, assume control of MONUC and resume its pledge to ensure peace and development in the region.  A commitment by Canada to a leading peacekeeping role in The Congo will further serve to affirm the growing global consensus that Canada is the world power for a new era.