Canada’s defeat in bid for UN Security Council seat also reveals Ottawa’s lingering problems at home

Originally published in the Hill Times

After Canada lost its bid for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat on June 17, experts quickly blamed Ottawa’s lack of global engagement as the key reason. But Canada’s defeat tells of more than just its foreign policy failure. On many domestic issues, such as the environment and Indigenous rights, Canada’s actions are not consistent with its international obligations.

As one of the founding members of the United Nations (UN), Canada’s defeat in the bid for the UNSC seat is a stark reminder of Canada’s deteriorating global influence. Canada lost to Norway and Ireland in the first round of voting, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s intense and expensive campaign for nearly five years.

The council has the power to deploy peacekeeping operations, impose sanctions, and determine the UN’s response to international security threats. As such, a seat on the UNSC would have enabled Canada to regain its global influence and help shape the future of the world that is becoming more interconnected and complex.

Canada was traditionally known as a middle power that championed a multilateral world. But in recent years, Canada has disengaged itself from the world. Since 1970, Ottawa has continuously reduced its spending on foreign aid. Today, Canada only spends 0.28 per cent of its gross national income (GNI) on international development assistance. Meanwhile, Norway and Ireland spend at least 0.7 per cent of their GNI on foreign aid.

The UN figures found that Canada’s peacekeeping efforts are currently at the lowest level in 60 years. At the end of April 2020, there were only 35 Canadian military and police officers in the UN peacekeeping force, despite its promise to deploy 600 military officers and 250 police officers. It is clear that Canada’s foreign policy does not reflect its rhetoric.

But Canada’s defeat signalled a much deeper problem than just its lack of global engagement. In many domestic issues, such as the environment and Indigenous rights, Canada has failed to uphold the values of the UN.

Despite being a signatory of the Paris Climate Agreement, Canada is one of the worst-performing countries in climate action. With a population of only 37 million people, Canada is one of the world’s top 10 greenhouse gas emitters. Canada is not on track to meet its target to reduce its emissions by 30 per cent below the 2005 level by 2030. According to the UN, Canada will miss its climate target by 15 per cent. A study by the Climate Action Network also found that Canada’s climate plan is in line with the global warming exceeding 4 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level.

Ottawa has indeed instituted measures to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, such as the national carbon pricing framework and investment on clean energy. The federal government has also earmarked $70-billion to address climate change. But at the same time, the government is investing heavily in the fossil fuel industry. Between 2012 and 2017, Export Development Canada (EDC) spent a staggering $62-billion to support the fossil fuel industry. Ottawa also spent $4.5-billion to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline in 2018.

Canada has also failed to uphold its commitment to Indigenous rights. Although the government of Canada officially adopted the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2016, Ottawa has yet to introduce legislation on UNDRIP. Violations against Indigenous rights continue to persist in Canada. Today, an Indigenous Canadian is 10 times more likely to die at the hands of police officers compared to a white Canadian.

Canada’s mistreatment of Indigenous groups has not gone unnoticed. Most recently, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination urged Ottawa to immediately suspend the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, the Trans Mountain pipeline, and the Site C dam until it obtains “free, prior, and informed consent” from Indigenous peoples. The UN Human Rights Committee also ruled that the Indian Act discriminates against Indigenous women.

Canada cannot portray a moral high ground abroad while failing to address these issues at home. The recent defeat at the UN Security Council bid reveals more than Ottawa’s foreign policy failure. It is also a reminder that Canada’s international obligations extend beyond its global engagement. Therefore, Ottawa must ensure that its actions at home are consistent with its rhetoric.

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