Canada Loses Out

I know that for a site called the 'Canadian Cave of Cool' that I am not always talking about Canada except for when I come across something cool about my beloved nation. Then there are times like this that I must talk about something that is NOT cool.

Today we pulled out of the competition for one of the remaining seats on the UN Security Council. That is the most important body in the UN and is something that our country takes great pride in being a part of. They are the group of nations that make military decisions for the UN. The USA, France, Britain, China and Russia are the permanent members of this body. Other nations rotate into the other seats on a two year basis after being voted in by the larger UN General Assembly.

Our soldiers are not thought of as a military force. We are PEACEKEEPERS. It's an important distinction to us. Since our former P.M. Lester Pearson created the U.N. Peacekeeping Force of the UN Security Council in the late sixties, our boys have stood between waring factions in places like Cyprus, Egypt, Rwanda and now Afghanistan. My father served two terms in Cyprus back in the late 60s and has the blue berets and medals to prove it.


We will never be the military force that the United States is. Our army is relatively small but is one of the finest trained in the world. All nations send their troops her to learn what we have to teach.

We don't start the wars or often even fight in their initial days. We are there to protect the innocent from the effects of war as much as we can while retaining the peace that has been achieved once conflict operations have ended.

That is not saying we don't know how to fight or kill. We do. But we have chosen to make other parts of soldiering more of a priority. We are there to help waring groups find compromise.


Currently we are in Afghanistan to not only oppose the Taliban but to build up the nation and reach out to it's people. That mission has cost us over 100 lives - each of who we honor, when their bodies are brought back to Canada.

These days our fallen are taken down the 'Highway of Heroes' which was at first a spontaneous acknowledgment of their bravery by people who crowded the bridges along the route to express their appreciation for the sacrifice made not only by the dead soldier but his family back home. This remembrance may have started small but now is a permanent feature of the memorial we give to our dead peacekeepers. Memorializing our war dead is something that is very important to us as a nation.

So when I heard that we had pulled out of the running for a seat on the security council (in favor of Portugal) I was upset that it could be because we were viewed negatively by the voting member nations of the UN. We have always been seen as being too 'chummy' with the US but usually that fact is put aside when we seek to add our voice to the issue of conflict around the world.

However, today we have also have been percieved as a nation who is currently not puttting forth a unified message on many global issues. We have internal divisions (especially over our role in Afghanistan) that are not helpful at all. Words by the leader of the opposition party critical of the ruling party have many questioning how effective we can be as a global leader when our own house is in such disaray. The blame is being tossed around fast and loose in the Parliament in Ottawa.


I am disappointed that this Security Council issue has become a political one which has some actively wishing to see our attempt to gain a seat, fail. Usually we are united in this area.

We believe the world needs our perspective on conflict. They need our calm, understanding nature but because of the ones who seek to make political hay out of this situation, we will be shut out of the process for another 2 years at a time in this world's history when our voice is needed the most.

We have a responsibility to bring our experience to the table just like we have taken it upon ourselves to be a nation of tolerance and acceptance. Those places that are in crisis need to know that we are there to help them. They need the hope that we bring.

It angers me that selfish, petty politicians refuse to see the truth in that.


The Peacekeeping Monument was erected on Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa. Named “Reconciliation”, the monument honours the contribution made by Canadian peacekeepers; recognizes Canada’s commitment to world peacekeeping and tells the story of Canada’s role in world peacekeeping. Since 1950 more than 112,000 Canadians have served as peacekeepers in countries such as Cyprus, Haiti, Egypt, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda. The Peacekeeping Monument, entitled Reconciliation, was commissioned by the Canadian government in 1988 when the United Nations was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 40 years of international peacekeeping.


Check out the article HERE for more information on this issue.