The Security Council isn’t the only way

Fiscal conservatism is Canada’s real problem

A few weeks ago, Canada was defeated in its bid for a two-year rotating seat on the United Nations Security Council. Many are saying the Security Council defeat was a sign that Canada has lost its reputation as a nation always on the forefront for human rights.

However, a number of Canadian diplomats and officials have said that this isn’t an “end-all” for Canada’s positive international influence. They argue that Canada is still a global leader on a lot of issues. 

They argue that initiatives like the recent $2 million to Haiti for disease prevention, leading funding for UN programs in the Congo, committing $100 million to the World Bank for the use of small states and the $120 million donation for maternal aid to Africa are all clear examples of Canada’s willingness and ability to lead. 

Moreover, Canada has strong national standards that can ensure it will continue to work hard for human rights internationally. For example, Canada has created and chairs a group of 43 nations called the Group of Friends, which is a multilateral body that operates outside the Security Council but utilizes its collective influence to pass resolutions on human rights issues. 

However, congratulating Canada for these initiatives only tells half the story. In reality, Canada’s foreign policy is less indicative of leadership than ever. Although these initiatives are noteworthy, Canada is increasingly regressive on the international scene, and especially so over the past decade. 

It is well known that in most of its international commitments (aside from Afghanistan), Canada doesn’t commit the big bucks until it knows for sure the endeavour is feasible, will see quantifiable positive feedback and can be afforded.

Due to this, Canadian development and human rights agencies take their time in the consultation process before implementation, making sure they hear from a wide variety of interest groups so they can create a reasonable and balanced approach on the interest of Canadians. 

The reality is that this approach is easily bogged down in consultation. It is also useless if the government isn’t initially ready to spend the money.

Consultation is great, but the wait means nothing if the government is continually weakening the capacity of human rights agencies

Nine-figure initiatives are noteworthy, but they are very rare. Recent Canadian governments have been extremely cautious about spending money because it deters from their obsession with balancing the budget.

This is evident with the Harper government’s large cutbacks to its development agencies, NGOs and women’s groups. These cuts are always justified for, amongst other reasons, budgetary constraints.

Though seemingly understandable, these justifications often don’t make sense.

Consider that the Harper government just agreed to spend $16 billion on new fighter jets and pledged a 43 per cent increase in spending on prisons while generating a record deficit. If our government can spend this kind of money on these unnecessary services, it can surely find the money to take an actual global leadership role on issues like human rights. 

Secondly, this slow-moving conservative approach is allowing Canada to limit itself to an orthodox framework that constrains government motivation to lead, and relies instead on status-quo politics.

Consultation is great, but if the final policy strategy is to be successful, the wait means nothing if the government is continually weakening the capacity of human rights agencies.

Canada should be advancing its own agenda and doesn’t require a Security Council seat to do so. Norway is a prime example of what middle powers can do.

Our diplomats are correct when they say Canada can still be a global political leader without a Security Council seat.

However, the next government will need to scrap fiscal conservatism and orthodoxy if it is to make Canada a leader on human rights and development. 

Matt Austman is a politics student at the University of Winnipeg. He recently returned from a trip to New York City and the United Nations along with other students and staff affiliated with the U of W’s Global College.

Published in Volume 65, Number 10 of The Uniter (November 4, 2010)

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