The Development of Canada’s Identity as a Peacekeeper
When people hear the word, peacekeeper, some imagine a gendarmerie controlled by the Capitol, tasked with maintaining order throughout the nation of Panem by violence, in the famous novel, The Hunger Games. However, Canada’s definition differs slightly as it defines peacekeeping as promoting peace and truce between hostile political forces (Granatstein). Canada has played a significant role in international peacekeeping through its participation in the Cold War. Canada not only have supplied troops, established medical institutions, and protected civilians in many war-torn countries, but also, Canada had a peaceful mindset, always promoting human rights around the world. All of these Canadian …show more content…
When the League of Nations failed to maintain peace among Germany, and the European countries after the First World War, another international organization was established among 51 countries in 1945, after the Second World War (“Canada and the United Nations”). Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent signed the UN Charter in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, in agreement to “achieving international cooperation and promoting peace, security, and human rights” (Page, Don, and John W. Holmes). Canada as an industrialized, democratic country was strongly motivated to help poverty-struck and war-torn nations, such as Palestine and Pakistan, by diminishing hunger, and disease, distributing cash, and goods, and by advocating for education and civil rights. Furthermore, the 1956 Suez Crisis in which Britain, France, and Israel bombed Egypt’s Suez Canal Zone over a political conflict, allowed Canada to play a role of a mediator (Tattrie). Lester. B. Pearson, a Canadian delegation to the UN, suggested a peaceful diplomatic resolution to the Suez Crisis, stating, “peace is far more than ceasing to fire.” Pearson’s solution ceased bombing attacks in Egypt and brought peace to the Mediterranean. Pearson not only the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize but also, highlighted Canada’s reputation as a …show more content…
During the Korean War, President Truman of the United States deployed several Boeing 29 Superfortresses, which are used to deliver nuclear bombs, to threaten and warn to the Soviet Union that the U.S. is both capable and willing to implement a nuclear bombing attack (U.S. Department of State). However, in 1953, the Canadian government with President Dwight. D. Eisenhower strongly opposed the idea of employing nuclear coercion, and ultimately put an end to the threat. Millions of frightened civilians around the world, especially Americans, and Canadians were relieved. Furthermore, in 1970, Canada signed the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (“Nuclear Weapons”). Although Canada is a non-nuclear weapons state country, it promotes disarmament and elimination of nuclear weapons and related materials. Canada’s firm stance against the use of nuclear weapons and its involvement in the official Treaty of Nonproliferation alleviated global fear, and consequently, Canada claimed its identity as a
When people hear the word, peacekeeper, some imagine a gendarmerie controlled by the Capitol, tasked with maintaining order throughout the nation of Panem by violence, in the famous novel, The Hunger Games. However, Canada’s definition differs slightly as it defines peacekeeping as promoting peace and truce between hostile political forces (Granatstein). Canada has played a significant role in international peacekeeping through its participation in the Cold War. Canada not only have supplied troops, established medical institutions, and protected civilians in many war-torn countries, but also, Canada had a peaceful mindset, always promoting human rights around the world. All of these Canadian …show more content…
When the League of Nations failed to maintain peace among Germany, and the European countries after the First World War, another international organization was established among 51 countries in 1945, after the Second World War (“Canada and the United Nations”). Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent signed the UN Charter in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, in agreement to “achieving international cooperation and promoting peace, security, and human rights” (Page, Don, and John W. Holmes). Canada as an industrialized, democratic country was strongly motivated to help poverty-struck and war-torn nations, such as Palestine and Pakistan, by diminishing hunger, and disease, distributing cash, and goods, and by advocating for education and civil rights. Furthermore, the 1956 Suez Crisis in which Britain, France, and Israel bombed Egypt’s Suez Canal Zone over a political conflict, allowed Canada to play a role of a mediator (Tattrie). Lester. B. Pearson, a Canadian delegation to the UN, suggested a peaceful diplomatic resolution to the Suez Crisis, stating, “peace is far more than ceasing to fire.” Pearson’s solution ceased bombing attacks in Egypt and brought peace to the Mediterranean. Pearson not only the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize but also, highlighted Canada’s reputation as a …show more content…
During the Korean War, President Truman of the United States deployed several Boeing 29 Superfortresses, which are used to deliver nuclear bombs, to threaten and warn to the Soviet Union that the U.S. is both capable and willing to implement a nuclear bombing attack (U.S. Department of State). However, in 1953, the Canadian government with President Dwight. D. Eisenhower strongly opposed the idea of employing nuclear coercion, and ultimately put an end to the threat. Millions of frightened civilians around the world, especially Americans, and Canadians were relieved. Furthermore, in 1970, Canada signed the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (“Nuclear Weapons”). Although Canada is a non-nuclear weapons state country, it promotes disarmament and elimination of nuclear weapons and related materials. Canada’s firm stance against the use of nuclear weapons and its involvement in the official Treaty of Nonproliferation alleviated global fear, and consequently, Canada claimed its identity as a