Bianca Mugyenyi: It's time for an official review of Canadian foreign policy | Here's why
Photo Credit: (Toronto Star / Google Images)
Written by: Bianca Mugyenyi
Why did Canada lose its second bid in a row to win a United Nations Security Council seat? The answer to this question has varied from “Canada is close to the US “to “Ireland and Norway had more time to lobby” to “who cares”?
For those who believe it’s important to be a responsible global citizen, it’s critical to debate what may have caused Canada’s failure. This is why dozens of prominent individuals are now calling for a “fundamental reassessment of Canadian foreign policy.”
I believe Canada lost the Security Council vote partly because of its alliance with Washington, indifference to International treaties, support for controversial mining companies and climate policies among other matters.
Another issue that clearly contributed to the Security Council defeat was Canada repeatedly voting against widely endorsed General Assembly resolutions that upheld Palestinian rights.
Additionally, in the lead-up to the Security Council vote, Venezuelan diplomats openly campaigned against Canada’s bid and are reported to have influenced other members of the 125 nation Non-Aligned Movement. Officials from Venezuela are unhappy with Canada for aggressively supporting the US-led effort to oust its UN recognized government.
However, one views the ethics of interfering in another country’s affairs, few doubt the immorality of delivering weapons to Saudi Arabia. After Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s agents killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Liberals announced a suspension of arms export permits. Despite the moratorium, in 2019 Canadian firms delivered $3 billion in weaponry to the repressive monarchy who are at war with Yemen.
The Liberals’ clearest strategic blunder was heeding US pressure in arresting Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, which has led to the detention of two Canadians as well as stern economic reprisals. Between the period when the US judicial system sought Meng’s detention and the Trump administration’s request that Ottawa detain her, Meng traveled to six countries with US extradition treaties. Arrested at the Vancouver airport on route to Mexico in December 2018, Mexican authorities told the Globe and Mail they had no plans to detain Meng had she arrived.
The Liberals have repeatedly said they detained Meng in deference to the “rule of law”, but Washington’s claim against Meng is centered on her company defying unilateral US sanctions against Iran, which are illegal under International law.
To navigate our way out of the various strategic and ethical blunders that may have contributed to the Security Council defeat, many prominent individuals such as Alan Rock, Sheila Copps and Douglas Roche, have called for a review of Canadian foreign policy in recent days. As part of this push, the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute just released an open letter calling for a “fundamental reassessment of Canadian foreign policy”.
Addressed to Prime Minister Trudeau, the letter is signed by hundreds of politicians, artists, activists and academics including Stephen Lewis, David Suzuki, Naomi Klein and Linda McQuaig as well as sitting MPs Leah Gazan, Alexandre Boulerice, Niki Ashton and Paul Manly. Former MPs Roméo Saganash, Libby Davies, Jim Manly, and Svend Robinson have also signed the open letter as have Black Lives Matter-Toronto founder Sandy Hudson and Richard Parry of Arcade Fire.
The letter puts forward 10 questions to consider as part of a foreign policy reset. Should our foreign policy be driven by Washington? Should Canada continue offering financial and diplomatic support to arms exporters? How can we ensure Canada radically reduces its greenhouse gas emissions? We also ask whether Canada’s sanctions policy respects International law and whether our foreign policy should continue to be enmeshed with mining interests abroad.
One thing is clear, it is high time for a broad review of Canadian foreign policy.
Bianca Mugyenyi is an author, former Executive Director of The Leap and currently coordinates the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.
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