Canada's Global Responsibilities: Peacekeeping and the United Nations

The United Nations: Foundations and Purpose

  • The United Nations (UN) was created with the primary purpose of helping nations resolve conflicts peacefully and reducing the total amount of suffering in the world.

  • History and Founding:

    • The UN was founded following World War II.

    • The victorious nations met in San Francisco to establish the organization.

    • The official founding date is October 24, 1945.

    • Canada was among the 50 original founding members.

  • Membership and Requirements:

    • All members who join the UN must sign the Charter of the United Nations.

    • The Charter is defined as a statement of purposes and rules.

    • Membership is open to all other peace-loving nations as long as they accept the obligations outlined in the Charter.

Positions of Importance and Institutions in The United Nations

  • The Secretary General:

    • This individual is the person in charge of the United Nations.

    • The current leader is Antonio Guterres, who is from Portugal.

  • Diplomat:

    • A diplomat is a government employee tasked with conducting relations with another government.

  • The International Court of Justice:

    • This institution is also referred to as the World Court.

    • It is the venue where two countries having a dispute go to settle matters peacefully.

    • It provides impartiality in international legal disputes.

Foreign Policy and Global Peace Maintenance

  • Foreign Policy Definition: This refers to what a government does officially in its relations with other countries. It is described as being very complex.

  • Global Conflict Trends:

    • Since the creation of the UN, there have been no world wars.

    • However, several smaller wars have occurred during this period.

  • The Security Council:

    • The Security Council was specifically created to maintain world peace.

    • Permanent Members: There are five permanent members of the Security Council:

      1. USA

      2. China

      3. France

      4. United Kingdom

      5. Russia

    • The Veto Power: Each permanent member is granted a "veto." A single "no" vote from any of these five members can defeat any action proposed within the Security Council.

  • Action Measures of the Security Council:

    • The Security Council can take various types of action to keep, restore, or make peace, including:

      1. Resolutions (Reference: Page 271).

      2. Economic sanctions (Reference: Page 271).

      3. Peacemaking (Reference: Page 271).

Embargoes and International Sanctions

  • Embargo Definition: An embargo is a suspension of trade relations with another country.

  • Canada's Sanctions and Arms Embargoes:

    • Canada applies an embargo on arms and related materials to the following countries:

      • Central African Republic

      • Democratic Republic of Congo

      • Eritrea

      • Iran

      • Iraq

      • Lebanon

      • Libya

      • Myanmar

      • North Korea

      • Somalia

      • Sudan

      • Syria

      • Zimbabwe

  • Terrorist Entities:

    • Under the United Nations Al-Qaida and Taliban Regulations, an embargo on arms and related materials also applies to all Terrorist Entities listed therein.

Case Study: Apartheid in South Africa

  • Definition of Apartheid:

    • A system of laws that denied equal rights to Black people and other groups in South Africa.

    • The system was introduced in 1948.

  • International and Canadian Response:

    • 1950s: The international reaction against apartheid began to grow stronger.

    • The South African government argued that it had the right to govern its own affairs.

    • 1961: Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker took action to ensure South Africa was denied entry into the Commonwealth.

    • 1963: The UN asked members to voluntarily stop all weapons trade with South Africa.

    • 1977: The weapons trade ban was made mandatory, becoming a formal embargo.

    • 1985: The UN Security Council passed a vote for economic sanctions against South Africa.

  • Human Rights Conditions under Apartheid:

    • Black South Africans were jailed for protesting.

    • Victims faced imprisonment without trial, torture, and police brutality under the white-controlled government.

  • The End of Apartheid (1990s):

    • South African Black leaders, specifically Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, advocated for and wanted these international sanctions to continue to pressure the government.

    • 1994: Nelson Mandela was elected as president.

    • Equal rights were restored to all citizens in South Africa.

Principles and Implementation of UN Peacekeeping

  • Three Key Features of UN Peacekeeping:

    1. Consent: Peacekeepers must respect the sovereignty of the host nation where they are deployed.

    2. Impartiality: Peacekeepers are required to remain neutral and must not take sides in the conflict.

    3. Self-defence: Peacekeepers are authorized to use force only in cases of self-defence.

  • The Use of Peacekeepers in Practice:

    1. Deployment: Peacekeepers are called in only when a cease-fire has been established among warring parties.

    2. Buffer Zones: They set up a buffer zone between the parties and observe the situation.

    3. Agreement Facilitation: They help carry out agreements reached between the UN and the involved governments.

    4. Humanitarian Protection: They help protect humanitarian operations, such as ensuring security for food distribution.

  • Concept of Sovereignty: Sovereignty means that other nations or entities do not interfere in the laws made and enforced inside a country (e.g., the laws made and enforced inside Canada).

  • Additional Resources and Assignments:

    • Reference: Read pages 274–283.

    • Assignment: Complete question 8 on page 277 and question 15 on page 282.