Canada continues its diplomatic campaign to secure one of the ten non-permanent seats at the United Nations Security Council that are elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
“Canada knows that we have an important role to play on the world stage and being part of the UN Security Council in 2021 will ensure that an important voice gets heard and resonates around the world,” Trudeau said.
However, speaking to reporters at a press conference in Ottawa prior to his departure to New York City, where he will lead Canada’s delegation at the opening of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Trudeau hinted once again that his Liberal government is no rush to fulfill its pledge to deploy a large peacekeeping force to one of existing UN peacekeeping operations.
In August 2016, the Trudeau government pledged 600 troops, 150 police officers and $450 million over three years in support of UN peace operations as part of its much heralded re-engagement with the world body.
But despite the promise of deeper international engagement, Trudeau has remained elusive on his pledge to deploy Canadian peacekeepers to one of the many of the world’s troubled spots even as Canada prepares to host the UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial forum in Vancouver in November.
“We know that Canada has an important role to play around the world, we’re happy to have announced that we will be re-engaging with the United Nations peacekeeping efforts,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. “But Canadians expect us to make the right choices, to do right by the service and opportunities afforded us by the extraordinary men and women that serve in our forces and serve internationally.”
Trudeau said Canada has in fact re-engaged on the world stage over the last two years of Liberal government.
“Whether it’s stepping up on ensuring Paris Accords move forward and are successful, leading the way in the fight against climate change,” Trudeau said, “whether it’s engaging in important international military engagements – whether it’s putting our Special Forces and Canadian Forces to good use in northern Iraq or holding strong on the eastern front of NATO in Latvia – we continue to engage in constructive positive ways.”
Trudeau is expected to deliver Canada’s national address to the 193 members of the UNGA on Sept. 21.
Trudeau’s speech at the high-level forum is expected to touch on the themes of Canada’s commitment to strengthening multilateralism and the rules-based international order, advancing human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and championing diversity and inclusion.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau are also part of the Canadian delegation in New York.
Freeland will attend the UNGA from Sept. 19 to 22 and Bibeau from September 18 to 20.
During her participation at the UNGA, Freeland will address a wide array of current international issues, including the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and the ongoing violence in Myanmar, particularly the situation in Rakhine State for Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities, officials said.
Canada is currently the fifth-largest donor to the UN system, according to Canadian officials.
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