Unit 6: Balancing National Interests with Global Issues

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering definitions, organizations, events, and policy themes related to sovereignty, internationalism, Arctic issues, global institutions, and Canada’s role in balancing national interests with global concerns.

What is meant by national sovereignty?

The freedom of a nation to make its own decisions free from control by any other nation.

Define internationalism.

A policy or spirit of cooperation that places global concerns before a country’s own national interests.

List four common reasons nations engage in regional or global affairs.

Economic stability, self-determination, peace and security, and humanitarianism.

Which eight countries make up the G8?

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Why was the G8 originally formed in the 1970s?

To let the world’s major industrialized economies discuss solutions to a global recession and other economic issues.

What major criticism is often directed at the G8 regarding global warming?

That member states, especially Canada and the United States, lag in meeting emission-reduction targets.

What is bilateralism?

Economic, trade, or diplomatic relations between two countries.

Name the intergovernmental forum that addresses common concerns of Arctic states.

The Arctic Council.

Which eight states are members of the Arctic Council?

Canada, Denmark (with Greenland & Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Russian Federation, and the United States.

Give two reasons the Arctic Council was created.

To ensure peaceful cooperation over Arctic resources/borders and to protect the region’s fragile environment.

Who are the six Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council?

Inuit Circumpolar Council, Saami Council, Aleut International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich’in Council International, and RAIPON.

What is permafrost?

Ground in the Arctic that remains permanently frozen, making the ecosystem highly sensitive to disturbance.

How is global warming affecting Arctic sovereignty debates?

Melting ice may open the Northwest Passage and expose resources, intensifying territorial claims.

Which five Arctic nations dispute sovereignty as ice recedes?

Canada, United States, Russia, Norway, and Denmark.

Why is Hans Island strategically significant?

Its location helps establish control over surrounding waters and potential shipping routes through the Northwest Passage.

Describe Canada’s agreed process with Denmark over Hans Island.

Officials from both countries review historical maps and documents to reach a peaceful resolution.

State the four priority areas of Canada’s Northern Strategy (2009).

Exercising Arctic sovereignty, protecting the environment, promoting social & economic development, and improving Northern governance.

What is sustainable development?

Using natural resources in ways that maintain ecological balance for future generations.

Give two fast-growing industries in Canada’s North that raise sustainability concerns.

Tourism and mineral/petroleum resource development.

What does Canada’s Arctic foreign-policy vision emphasize?

A stable, rules-based region with clearly defined boundaries, vibrant communities, and healthy ecosystems.

Define self-determination.

The freedom of a nation to make its own decisions independent of outside influences.

Differentiate peacekeeping from peacemaking.

Peacekeeping places neutral forces between former combatants after a cease-fire, while peacemaking uses diplomacy—or force if required—to end ongoing conflict.

Which Canadian won a Nobel Peace Prize for conceiving UN peacekeeping?

Lester B. Pearson.

State three basic principles shared by Commonwealth countries.

Democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law (others include peace, justice, cooperation, sustainable development).

How did World War I contribute to the formation of the Commonwealth?

Colonies like Canada fought for Britain, gained confidence, and sought independent status, leading to the 1931 Statute of Westminster.

What is the Fourth World?

Nations forcibly incorporated into existing states that keep distinct political cultures but lack international recognition.

What was the primary goal of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples (WCIP)?

To secure recognition of indigenous rights internationally and gain consultative status at the UN.

Provide two reasons indigenous alliances became necessary after colonialism.

Colonial borders grouped diverse peoples together and united action was more effective than isolated tribal efforts.

Quote Victor Hugo’s 1849 vision that foreshadowed the EU.

A day will come when bullets and bombs will be replaced by votes.

Name the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community (precursor to the EU).

Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

List three benefits EU membership offers citizens.

Larger markets for goods, freedom to work/travel/study across member states, and use of a shared currency (Euro).

Identify the three main institutional bodies of the EU.

European Parliament, Council of the European Union, and European Commission.

What are two key 21st-century missions of the EU?

Provide peace & stability and promote balanced economic & social development.

What document officially founded the United Nations?

The UN Charter, signed on 26 June 1945.

Name the six principal organs of the UN.

General Assembly, Security Council, Economic & Social Council, Secretariat, International Court of Justice, and (now-inactive) Trusteeship Council.

Which five countries hold permanent seats (with veto power) on the UN Security Council?

United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China.

What is the purpose of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

To create a global blueprint for reducing poverty, improving health & education, and ensuring sustainability by 2015.

Give three of the eight MDGs.

Eradicate extreme poverty & hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women (others: reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, develop global partnership).

How has Canada contributed to UN initiatives?

Peacekeeping operations, support for the International Criminal Court, landmine ban, and advocacy for children affected by war.

Define foreign policy.

The methods and principles a country uses when dealing with other countries.

What is foreign aid?

Help provided to nations in need, ranging from emergency relief to financial/technical assistance.

Explain globalization in one sentence.

The increasing interconnectedness of people and nations through trade, technology, migration, and media.

What does the term ‘bilateralism’ imply in international relations?

Cooperation or agreements involving exactly two countries.

Which organization promotes cooperation among French-speaking nations?

L’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.

What is a veto in the UN context?

A negative vote by a permanent Security Council member that blocks proposed action.

Describe the concept of world government.

A hypothetical global authority that would make, interpret, and enforce international law, requiring nations to cede some sovereignty.

Why are Northwest Passage waters increasingly important internationally?

Melting ice may create a faster shipping route between Asia and Europe and unlock access to oil and mineral resources.

Which study ranked Canada second-worst among the G8 on emission reductions in 2008?

The World Wildlife Fund’s Group of Eight Climate Scorecard, compiled by Ecofys.

Give one argument researchers used for not ranking Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa in the same G8 emissions study.

They claimed fast-growing economies should not be measured by the same standards as long-industrialized nations.

What is meant by humanitarianism?

The belief that human living conditions can and should be improved, often expressed through aid and advocacy.

State one example of a Commonwealth community project.

Removing invasive weeds from Kenya’s Lake Victoria to restore fish stocks or mobile computer-training centres for youth.

Which three Canadian Indigenous organizations receive federal funding to engage with the Arctic Council?

Inuit Circumpolar Council, Arctic Athabaskan Council, and Gwich’in Council International.

What key clause did the WCIP Declaration include about indigenous lands?

Indigenous peoples have inalienable rights over traditional lands and resources, and usurped territories must be restored.

Summarize Canada’s stance on Hans Island as expressed by Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew.

Canada maintains that its sovereignty over Hans Island is firm and must be clearly recognized despite ongoing talks with Denmark.

What does ‘circumpolar’ mean?

Located or found within one of the Polar Regions.

Why are improved communication and transportation vital for Northern peoples’ economic participation?

They enable remote communities to access markets, services, and decision-making processes otherwise far away.