Canada’s role in the world matters now more than ever. In the decades ahead we will see a dramatic shift in global power.
By 2050, China will be the world’s biggest economy, followed by the United States. India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam — all will have larger GDPs than Canada.
So what role will Canada play? And what values will guide global politics? That will depend on the choices our government makes today.
Unfortunately, this government lacks a coherent strategy and the competence to assert Canada as a responsible leader in a changing world.
Canada lost its seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2010; many speculated that the Canadian government’s shift in foreign aid priorities and poor performance on the climate change file were to blame.
Rather than analyze the reasons, the Harper government continued to pursue its ideology. On the heels of the global climate change conference in Durban last year, Environment Minister Peter Kent shocked the world by making Canada the only country to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol and turn its back formally on the commitments we had made. The move drew condemnation from around the planet.
And less than a month ago, Canada was denied a seat at the East Asia Summit. Important decisions, with major impacts for our country, will be made in our absence and without our input.
Surin Pitsuwan, the outgoing secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has said that to expand our reach in trade and economic partnerships, Canada must be a leader in conflict resolution.
Rather than heed that warning, Prime Minister Stephen Harper instead snubbed the United Nations while in New York, choosing not to address the General Assembly. In his place, he sent Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, who instead hectored the UN. So much for diplomacy.
Canada’s foreign policy long reflected the common values held by Canadians across party lines. No longer. Mr. Harper ignores the UN, lectures our allies on fiscal policy, threatens trading partners, abandons responsibility to child soldiers, ignores gender equality, closes embassies and, worst of all, acts as an obstacle to international cooperation on climate change.
This stands in stark contrast to the progress Canadian governments — including Progressive Conservative governments — have achieved in the past. Consider the international treaty to ban landmines, the campaign against apartheid, the agreement on blood diamonds, the Montreal Protocol on acid rain, among many other accomplishments.
We must face the greatest challenges to peace and security the same way.
On climate change, we must end the campaign to undermine global negotiations. Fighting climate change is central to our shared survival and economic prosperity, and we have a responsibility to clean up the mess we played a disproportionate role in creating.
At the Arctic Council, which Canada is preparing to chair, we must work with the seven other council members to address climate change, sea ice loss, oil spill prevention and fisheries management.
Improving Canada’s global image and domestic record on climate change would increase social license for Canada’s industry at home and abroad.
Original Article
Source: ipolitics
Author: Megan Leslie
By 2050, China will be the world’s biggest economy, followed by the United States. India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam — all will have larger GDPs than Canada.
So what role will Canada play? And what values will guide global politics? That will depend on the choices our government makes today.
Unfortunately, this government lacks a coherent strategy and the competence to assert Canada as a responsible leader in a changing world.
Canada lost its seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2010; many speculated that the Canadian government’s shift in foreign aid priorities and poor performance on the climate change file were to blame.
Rather than analyze the reasons, the Harper government continued to pursue its ideology. On the heels of the global climate change conference in Durban last year, Environment Minister Peter Kent shocked the world by making Canada the only country to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol and turn its back formally on the commitments we had made. The move drew condemnation from around the planet.
And less than a month ago, Canada was denied a seat at the East Asia Summit. Important decisions, with major impacts for our country, will be made in our absence and without our input.
Surin Pitsuwan, the outgoing secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has said that to expand our reach in trade and economic partnerships, Canada must be a leader in conflict resolution.
Rather than heed that warning, Prime Minister Stephen Harper instead snubbed the United Nations while in New York, choosing not to address the General Assembly. In his place, he sent Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, who instead hectored the UN. So much for diplomacy.
Canada’s foreign policy long reflected the common values held by Canadians across party lines. No longer. Mr. Harper ignores the UN, lectures our allies on fiscal policy, threatens trading partners, abandons responsibility to child soldiers, ignores gender equality, closes embassies and, worst of all, acts as an obstacle to international cooperation on climate change.
This stands in stark contrast to the progress Canadian governments — including Progressive Conservative governments — have achieved in the past. Consider the international treaty to ban landmines, the campaign against apartheid, the agreement on blood diamonds, the Montreal Protocol on acid rain, among many other accomplishments.
We must face the greatest challenges to peace and security the same way.
On climate change, we must end the campaign to undermine global negotiations. Fighting climate change is central to our shared survival and economic prosperity, and we have a responsibility to clean up the mess we played a disproportionate role in creating.
At the Arctic Council, which Canada is preparing to chair, we must work with the seven other council members to address climate change, sea ice loss, oil spill prevention and fisheries management.
Improving Canada’s global image and domestic record on climate change would increase social license for Canada’s industry at home and abroad.
Original Article
Source: ipolitics
Author: Megan Leslie
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