international disputes, alliances, terrorism, extradition

lesson slides 5-8

What are international disputes?

A disagreement over the rights of two or more states regarding land, natural resources, ethnic or religious demography, etc.

What are different types of international disputes?

Treaty violations, boundary disputes, access to resources, trade barriers.

Review: What are alternative dispute resolutions?

Resolving disputes in ways other than going to court; negotiation, mediation, arbitration.

Define sanctions

Penalties or enforcement used to provide incentive for obedience with the law, rules or regulations.

What are sanctions used for?

Protect national security, international law, or defend against threats to peace.

Define economic sanctions

The withdrawal of customary trade and financial relations for foreign and security policy purposes.

What could economic sanctions include?

May be comprehensive, prohibit commercial activity, and target an entire country or particular groups.

What are examples of economic sanctions?

Embargo, travel bans, asset freezes, foreign aid reduction, trade restriction, etc.

Define embargo

An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.

Define diplomatic sanctions

Reduction or removal of diplomatic ties with the targeted country.

What do diplomatic sanctions involve?

Removal of embassy, limitations of government visits, expelling or withdrawing diplomatic missions or staff.

Define military sanctions

Carefully targeted military strikes to degrade a nation’s capabilities or cutting off supplies of arms.

Define sports sanctions

Used in psychological warfare to lower morale of targeted country.

Define environmental sanctions

Relatively new laws regarding environmental issues encouraging individuals and governments to cooperate about the problem.

Define war

A state of armed conflict between different nations or groups within a nation.

Define armed conflict

A political conflict involving armed forces of at least one state; at least 1000 people are killed during the fight.

Define international armed conflict

When two or more opposing states combat with arms.

Define hostage taking

The seizing of an individual coupled with threat to kill, injure, or continue to detain them to compel third party action.

Define terrorism

An act endangering human life that violates criminal laws to intimidate or coerce government, civilians, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

Define domestic terrorism (aka homegrown terrorism)

Committed by those located and operating in the home state.

What are domestic terrorist groups?

Groups acting on terrorism within a country with material assistance from any group and with command structure.

Define lone wolf terrorism

Someone committing terrorism alone without command or material assistance; may be influenced or in support of external group ideology.

Define international terrorism

Acts of terror committed by individuals affiliated with foreign countries.

Define state sponsored terrorism

Terrorist acts on a state or government by a state or government.

Define dissident terrorism

Terrorist groups that have rebelled against their government.

Define left and right terrorism

Groups rooted in political ideology with extremist left/right wing views.

Define religious terrorism

Groups which are extremely religiously motivated.

Define criminal terrorism

Acts used to aid in crime or criminal profit.

What is Canada’s Bill C-51 (June 2015)

Anti-terrorism legislation that increased police actions and preventative measures even if they infringed with the Charter.

What were some concerns with Bill C-51?

Exposed private information, censoring of online posts, government surveillance, unexplained travel restriction or material seizure.

What was created to replace Bill C-51?

Bill C-59; created NSIRA to ensure government agencies cannot abuse anti-terrorism powers.

What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

Formed to promote stability of North Atlantic area; based on principles of democracy, individual liberty, and rule of law.

How many members of NATO are there?

29 current members.

What is NATO’s political stance?

Promotes democratic values and enables consultation on defence issues to solve problems and prevent conflict.

What is NATO’s military stance?

Committed to peaceful resolution but has military power to undertake crisis-management.

What is the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 (aka Washington Treaty)?

Treaty with the goal to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

What is Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty?

An attack against one or several of its members is considered an attack against all.

What does NAFTA stand for?

North American Free Trade Agreement.

What is NAFTA?

A trade agreement setting rules of trade between Canada, United States, and Mexico.

Define tariffs

A tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.

What are the objectives of NAFTA?

Eliminate trade barriers, facilitate cross-border movement, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities.

What are the pros of NAFTA?

Increased trade, economic output, and jobs; lower prices and government spending.

What are the cons of NAFTA?

Loss of US jobs, suppressed wages, Mexican farmers lost business, degraded Mexican environment, Mexican trucks with lower safety standards.

What was NAFTA replaced with?

CUSMA; Canada United States Mexico Agreement.

What are the highlights of CUSMA?

Tightens access to preferential treatment in key industries; new managed trade elements and more protections on intellectual property.

Define extradition

Legal surrender/delivery of a fugitive to another country to face trial.

What is the critera of requesting extradition?

There is no obligation to extradite without a treaty; evidence of guilt must be provided upon extradition request.

What are the rules of extradition?

Double criminality rule, reciprocity principle, specialty principle.

Define the double criminality rule

The alleged offence must be a serious crime in both countries to a similar extent.

Define the reciprocity principle

Both countries will have equal rights and responsibilities under the treaty that will be mutually respected.

Define the specialty principle

The accused will only be prosecuted for the crime listed on the extradition request, not ones added later.

How can diplomatic immunity be overided?

Can be expelled and tried in the home country or the home country can waive immunity.

How are diplomatic relations outlined in the Geneva Conventions?

Codifies rules for the exchange and treatment of envoys between states.

What do the Vienna Conventions cover about diplomatic immunity?

Protection of the embassy and diplomats; requires diplomats to obey local laws but prevents potential abuse by local authorities (only sanction permissible is expulsion).