Canada deserves seat at UN council

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/09/2010 (5648 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was trying to sell Canada Thursday in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly. He was there to tell the 192 member nations that Canada not only would make a good candidate for a seat on the Security Council that is coming open, but that it deserves the position.

Canada is eligible because, in the peculiar way in which the UN works, there are two Security Council seats available in the category “Europe and others.” Canada falls under “others.” Both the other candidates are European states — Germany and Portugal — and Europe already has three permanent members on the Security Council that also enjoy veto powers — Britain, France and Russia — the obvious choice would seem to be Canada under normal circumstances.

Canada is a founding member of the UN, its seventh-largest financial supporter and has served on the Security Council at least once in every decade since the UN was established.

It is generally conceded by UN-watchers that Canada cannot beat Germany when the General Assembly votes on Oct. 12, but there is a chance, ranging from good to remote, depending on which watcher one believes, that it can beat Portugal. Portugal is innocuous enough in its international presence, but it is economically pretty much a basket case — it is the “P” in PIGS, the acronym for Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain, the nations that are the greatest drain on, and threat to, the European Union’s economic well-being. It has little to offer the developing world that looks to the UN for assistance.

Mr. Harper made much of Canada’s contribution to the United Nations in the past and the role it can play in the future. He emphasized the sacrifice Canadians have made in the Afghan war, the leading role they play in peacekeeping efforts and in supplying food aid, economic development and international relief after natural disasters such as the tsunami in Sri Lanka and the earthquake in Haiti.

These are pretty impressive credentials, but they don’t necessarily count at the UN. On the negative side for Canada’s candidacy is the fact it has refocused its aid programs from Africa to Latin America and become one of Israel’s most fast friends. The African and Islamic blocs at the UN together control more than 100 votes. Ottawa’s best hope at winning the seat it deserves on the Security Council lies in those two voting blocs understanding that Canada can do more for them, and for the UN, than Portugal and has proven, time and again, its willingness to do that.