baird-01849329-584.jpgForeign Affairs Minister John Baird said in an interview Dec.20 that Canada will not try again in the coming years to get a seat on the United Nations Security Council. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

    Canada won’t have a seat on the United Nations Security Council for at least another two years, according to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.

    The Harper government will not campaign for one of the council’s two-year, temporary placements in the coming years, according to the Canadian Press.

    Canada lost to Portugal last year for the second of two non-veto-wielding seats on the UN’s top body. It was the first time in the history of the UN that Canada failed to win a seat for which it made a bid.

    The decision sparked criticism that the government’s shifts in foreign policy under the Conservative government  – including perceived tilts in policy toward Israel and unpopular positions on climate change – have diminished the country’s support among the UN’s 190-plus member countries.

    Baird fired back in a Dec. 20 interview. "Maybe if we had shut up, and not talked about gay rights in Africa; maybe if we had shut up and been more quiet about our concerns about Sri Lanka; maybe if we hadn’t been so vocally against the deplorable human rights record in Iran, maybe Iran might have voted for us," he said.

    Baird said he is especially proud of his stand against Sri Lanka’s government for not adequately investigating alleged atrocities by its military forces when they annihilated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009.

    Critics say Baird and the Tories are playing what has been called "diaspora politics" by taking positions that may win them support in large blocs of newly-arrived Canadians. Tamils, for example, number in the hundreds of thousands in key Toronto-area ridings, the population’s largest concentration outside Sri Lanka.

    Do you think Canada should try to regain its seat on the UN Security Council? Are the foreign policy interests of Canadians at odds with those of the UN’s member nations? Let us know in the comments section below.


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    • old houndstandard2011/12/29


      at 11:46 AM ETtime Canada told this totally corrupt org to get lost.


      The UN is headquarters for every despot, dictator, socialist in the world.

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    • JoeKanuckstandard2011/12/29


      at 11:09 AM ETIt is so refreshing to finally not have a government that feels the need to continuously suck up to countries it loathes, which do despicable things to the weakest and neediest of their own people, just for the sake of getting a pat on the head like a good puppy from the world community.


      Finally, we can stand proud as Canadians knowing we finally have our own voice. The UN is well past its best before date. Time to ole yeller the useless intitution, which is, on its best day, little more than toddlers and tiaras for third world dictators to parade themselves onstage in their finest regalia.

      Not only should we not apply for the security council seat ever again, we should pull out of the UN completely…at least until it shows some leadership.

      Never again? Genocide is rampant yet the UN would rather play dressup than even comment.

      Frankly, the UN and its hypocricies sicken me. That any Canadian still wants our country to be part of that group, much less on the security council, is frankly shocking.

      These are probably the same people that worry more about a few dead ducks in tailings ponds than people dying on Lake Maracaibo or women being flogged in Saudi for having the gaul to think they are fit to drive a car.

      Yah….let’s all go to the UN and seek the approval of these lovely countries so we can sit on the security council as toothless part timers.

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    • tanneradozenstandard2011/12/29


      at 10:46 AM ETFortunately for Canada it is a very lightweight member of Nato.


      Nato is well represented on the Security Council by the U.K. and USA.

      Canada`s Interests and Policies are in tune with NATO`s.

      Most Canadians only want to have a Canadian on the U.N. Security Council

      for bragging rights and a ‘wannabe" attitude.Ask them to pay extra taxes for

      Security obligations and expences and you will hear them scream all the way to Brussells.Rating4Agree with comment (4 people agree)Disagree with comment (0 people disagree)ReplyPolicyReport abuse (0)

    • LiamSmythstandard2011/12/29


      at 10:07 AM ETWe are acting as a third rate power, and therefore have no chance. Canada has not been less respected in the world since it began to have a foreign policy independent of Britain in the last century. We have become a joke, so why expose ourselves to being laughed at more?


      I think the best comparison to our current government’s role would be to an East Bloc ‘power’ pretending to be independent of the USSR in the 1960s. We supply troops to the alliance, and they tell us what to say. Who would put a country like that into a major role?

      We don’t deserve it and won’t get it. Rating3Agree with comment (9 people agree)Disagree with comment (6 people disagree)ReplyPolicyReport abuse (0)

    • smart_guystandard2011/12/29


      at 9:57 AM ETRecently what good has the UN served? If there is any issue with a major country making human rights atrocities and they have veto power then they can easily quash any criticism. Often the Majority of votes gets vetoed because a friend of friend thinks you should not treat or have that kind of tone with them.


      Portugal has more debt and economic issues than Canada. They never should have received a UN seat. Why are there not more Permanent UN seats given to Japan, Germany, and Canada for instance? Veto power should be eliminated.

      As for liberal governments getting a UN seat good for them if they are Pro Communist, it shows their character and true colour. Rating6Agree with comment (10 people agree)Disagree with comment (4 people disagree)ReplyPolicyReport abuse (0)

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