...Since the 1950s, Canadians have taken pride in their role as a peacekeeper. In fact, two-thirds of Canadians believe that Canada is still essential to peacekeeping efforts today . From the Suez Crisis and Lester B. Pearson to modern day peacekeeping in Afghanistan, many Canadians have fought to re-establish peace. Many still debate whether Canada’s contributions to these efforts are meaningful or not. Based on the evidence, Canada merits the image of world peacekeeper to some extent as in the past they were an integral part of international peacekeeping efforts, however, in recent years they have not been a significant part of any UN missions, and the effect Canadian peacekeepers have today is minimal. Until the mid-1990s, Canada was an...
Words: 1613 - Pages: 7
...Peacemaking and Its Role in Bolstering Canadian Military Professionalism 16 December 2010 As the international view on how combat effectiveness is measured shifts with the change in how international conflicts are resolved, the role of the Canadians as peacekeepers has come under scrutiny. It has been argued that Canada's close tied with the United States has diminished the Canadian Force's relevance and ability to remain current in the modern theatre of war. However, Canada's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations since 1945 has been a major factor in maintaining and enhancing military professionalism within the CF for the following reasons: 1. Peacekeeping is a dynamic role, always changing and evolving. 2. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding keeps the integrity Canada’s forces a strong presence both at home and on the international stage. 3. The training involved in performing these roles increases the diversity of the Canadian military. This paper will define what is meant when referring to military professionalism. It will then examine how peacekeeping is defined by the United Nations, the legacy of peacekeeping, and how it is born out of a tradition of combat. There will be a discussion about training peacekeepers, and how the Canadian Forces' role as a peacekeeper impacts our international relationships. In conclusion, the relevance of the CF's support missions and how they do indeed bolster its professionalism will be indisputable...
Words: 2972 - Pages: 12
...Following the second world war, Canada began to develop its reputation as a peace-keeper for the international community. As a middle power, policy makers believed it was crucial for Canada to be involved on the international stage. Many Canadians feel that “peacekeeping has a place of pride in the Canadian national identity,” (Canadian peacekeeping: a proud tradition, p.16). When Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent came to power, Canadian foreign policy shifted from isolationism to internationalism. While the Suez crisis and the Korean War are examples of Canada’s primary involvement in peacekeeping, Lester B. Pearson’s decision in 1964 to deploy Canadian troops to the United Nations peace-keeping mission in Cyprus. Canada’s involvement in Cyprus has shaped Canada’s foreign policy standards in a positive way because … Following the collapse of the Ottoman empire, the ownership of Cyprus was put into question. While many support the policy, enosis, Cyprus should be unified with Greece, habitants of the island were split, with 80 per cent of the population identifying themselves as Greek Cypriot and 18 per cent identifying as Turkish Cypriots. However, those who identified as Turkish did not support enosis. Following the First World War, it became apparent to Greek Cypriots that unification would not occur, as Greece rejected Britain’s offer of the island for support in the war. While unification with Greece was never achieved tensions between...
Words: 454 - Pages: 2
...There is a dilemma over the practicality of history. Nietzsche, in his book “On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life,” attempts to make history practical for the individual. It is the unhistorical in which Nietzsche explains how individuals overcome and prevent life from meaninglessness. It counters the factual science of the historical, in which there is meaninglessness and abundance of facts. In order to compensate for an abundance of meaningless historical facts, the unhistorical identifies those facts interpretively or subjectively creating meaning among historical facts. To find the correct balance between the unhistorical and the historical, plastic power acts as a scale to find equilibrium. Nietzsche explains that the unhistorical has three themes in which historical facts are interpreted; monumental antiquarian, and critical history. They serve to broaden or weaken an individual’s horizon. They are the antidote to historical fact. Nietzsche identifies monumental history as way to emphasize historical facts as having great significance. The significance of monumental history is imitation. It is composed of an achievement a nation, society, or individual has completed, and the result of the achievement is symbolically interpreted as something that is worth emulating. They become models or morals that are imitated. There are ‘great moments’ in time which encompass a “demand for monumental history” (Nietzsche, 15). Individual’s according to Nietzsche, strive...
Words: 899 - Pages: 4
...Being Canadian What does it really mean to be Canadian? People have numerous statements to define themselves "Canadian". Many individuals would recognise themselves as Canadian citizens simply because they were born in Canada. In fact, it is sometimes the occasion that even people from different races may tell you that they are "just" or "100%" Canadian, when you ask their background. On the other hand, it is somewhat important to look at some general stereotypes of Canadians such as living in igloos (Eskimos), hating wars (i.e. peacekeeping), loving hockey, eating at Tim Horton's, wearing fur hats, and having "free" healthcare. Of course, most of these stereotypes are frivolous and fallacious while some others are tolerable merely to extent. Nonetheless, some people in different countries of the world, especially the U.S, apparently choose to think of them as the main characteristics of Canadian people. When it comes to peacekeeping, most Canadians would think of Lester B. Pearson's actions for Canada, like establishing the United Nation Emergency Force, for solving the Suez Crisis, and the Policy of Bilingualism in Canada. Pearson's eloquent speech illustrates the peacekeeping nature exists in Canadians, particularly when he declares "I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to participate in that work as a representative of my country, Canada, whose people have, I think, shown their devotion to peace." I remember the first day I set foot into Canada, on September...
Words: 1535 - Pages: 7
...Every year on November 11th, there are always people in Canada wearing poppies to show their respect for the veterans who fought in the battlefield and people who were injured or killed in the First and Second World Wars. On November 11th, 2013, McGill University held the memorial ceremony for Remembrance Day. Veterans, McGill students and visitors from everywhere gathered together to celebrate and memorize this day. It was not hard to notice that almost everyone had a poppy on their collars. The red poppies remind people the brutality of war and efforts that Canadians had made to keep the homeland safe and complete. Accordingly every year on Remembrance Day Canadians wear poppies to show that they are not forgetting the history. Therefore, the poppy can be a symbol of Canada as it reminds Canadians the First and Second World Wars which had a deep influence on Canada in such ways that the wars gave Canadians a stronger sense of nation and that they promotes women to fight and gain their political rights, and as it is also characterized as peace that the soldiers risked their life to gain and Canada has always been a peace-keeper in the world stage. (Red Poppy Field, by Irina Sztukowski, 2012) Poppy is a kind of plant that can grow up to 4 feet tall and that often blooms in late spring to early summer. (Simon, Chadwick, and Craker, Herbs: An indexed bibliography). Its recognition as a symbol of remembrance of war originated from the poem “In Flanders Fields”...
Words: 2206 - Pages: 9
...privileges. Canada exhibits a democratic government that protects the interests and demands of minority groups, who are free from discrimination and their rights and privileges are valued equally to those of the majority. Through political, human and cilvil rights, social well-fare systems, and international relations, Canada has formed a strong governmental institution that fosters an inclusive democracy. Between 1945-2014, the Canadian identity transitioned to an inclusive democratic society defined by domestic social reforms and international commitments to the global community In the last seventy years, Canada developed lawful political, human and civil rights within the nation and in the global community. In May of 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organizations, to draw up the United Nations Charter. Canada participated in the San Francisco conferences as a founding member of the Unite Nations. The Charter strived for collective security to avoid war, to develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international co-operation in solving international problems and promoting and encouraging respect for human and civil rights. Canada’s participation in the United Nations was instrumental in a global reputation of humanitarian contributions. Canada’s dedication to fundamental human rights internationally, upheld Canadian core democratic values. Canada’s federal government crafted a new Canadian Constitution...
Words: 819 - Pages: 4
...Crisis was an important event in history and a strategic victory for Canada. The Suez Crisis is also an important event in Canadian history, and this is for three reasons. The first is that it is a Canadian success in world peace from a genius idea by Lester B. Pearson. The second reason is that this fight caused a major tear in the great alliance of WWII between the U.S.A. and Britain. The third reason is that without the intervention of the U.N.E.F. in the Canal Zone, a major war would have broken out. Each of these points can be looked at in greater detail to determine why this was an important event in Canadian history. The Suez Canal is an incredibly important artificial waterway in Egypt that joins the Mediterranean and Red Seas....
Words: 846 - Pages: 4
...Canada And The Cold War By Bryce Churchill Canada surprisingly had a lot more of a impact on the Cold War than you would expect. Whenever most people think about the Cold War, it usually comes down to two different things. The first one being a non-direct fight between the U.S.S.R and the U.S.A. The second being a war fought way up north. Canada as a country was actually a middle power during the events of the Cold War which means that Canada was not quite as large or powerful as the U.S.A during the Cold War but Canada still had some influence on a international level. This is most apparent in their involvement in the Korean War, involvement in peacekeeping operations around the world, and Lester B. Pearson actions that stopped a nuclear war around the world (the Suez...
Words: 1490 - Pages: 6
...Lester B. Pearson was a true Canadian leader through his leadership as Prime Minster and also through serving Canada during wartime. Pearson was the Prime Minster of Canada beginning in April 2nd. 1963, and resigned in 1968. Throughout his role of Prime Minster, Pearson was first hand involved with establishing a sense of Canadian nationalism and internationalism that made Canada stronger and helped distinguish Canada separately from other countries. With Pearson as prime minster Canada at this time was seen as a strong bicultural country. A country that was moving toward as one great nation and other countries were taking notice. Lester Pearson was the son of Annie and Methodist minister, Edwin Pearson. The Pearson’s resided in Aurora Ontario....
Words: 1773 - Pages: 8
...acknowledge the importance of achieving Western objectives in Congo while also avoiding Cold war views of some NATO allies. One of the main issues this article raises is Canada’s place in this matter and how it functioned as a member of the United Nations, NATO, and now ONUC. Earlier events such as the Suez Crisis gave a strong public opinion by Canadians that Canada should act as peacekeepers during the Congo crisis. Spooner...
Words: 594 - Pages: 3
...Canada has created a huge reputation and has left a large imprint on the minds of others even though it has only been a short time for Canada’s existence. Canadian Identity can be analyzed in two different ways. One way of analyzing Canadian identity is to study our image that we project into the world. Identity can also be analyzed by studying how other locations see Canada as a country. Canada has been recognized by most places around the world as a peacekeeping and multiculturist nation. To Canadians, the world revolves around Canada and its peaceful endeavours. Canadian identity directly refers to unique culture, conditions and characteristics of being a Canadian, as well as many other different symbols and expressions that set Canadian...
Words: 962 - Pages: 4
...Canada…the BEST Place to Live! Canada was and still is almost certainly one of the best places to live, because of its diversity. Canada surpassed other countries during the 1990s in many different categories such as; Human Rights, Culture, Technology and most of all the influence of the Military/War. The power the military and war played in Canada being the best place to live was evident during the Vimy Ridge battle in WWI, D-Day in WWII and during the Suez Crisis of 1956 during the post war years. Because of the success Canadians achieved during these encounters, Canada was seen as the best place to live. Vimy Ridge is an example of a battle were Canadians began to form an identity separate from that of France or Britain, liberating the country, which made it a great place to live. Before the Vimy Ridge battle, Canadians were fresh faced and rightfully under-estimated. Conversely, as soon as the battle commenced, Canadians earned a reputation for aggressive attack. The Germans were shocked at the aggression the Canadians were showing but were quick to realize that when a large number of Canadian troops all arrived at the same place, a battle would soon take place. This battle was arguably the first time in history that Canadians were seen as a threat. Leadership was also effectively portrayed during this battle due to the fact that it was the first total Canadian victory with Canadian troops fighting together under Canadian leadership. This was a crucial step in the growth...
Words: 1198 - Pages: 5
...The Importance of Canada in NATO: Canada’s Military and Political Contributions Tyler Ovens October 27, 2014 HIE 207A When World War II came to a close in May of 1945, western European countries including Canada and the United States came into conflict with the USSR. Just as the war broken nations were trying to reorganize and rebuild their countries, suspicions of Soviet Union expansion were arising. One year after the end of the war, the man power of the Soviet army stayed almost the same while other countries such as the United States reduced its manpower by almost 90 percent and Canada reduced its forces to almost nothing. The threat was becoming imminent so the Treaty of Brussels, a defence alliance, was signed between France,...
Words: 2495 - Pages: 10
...around the west coast of Canada, Halibut fishing was even popular in Alaska. After the north pacific Railway was made halibut fishes were able to get shipped farther, this allowed business to increase in fishing. Around 1915 there were many ships bringing in an average of 69 million pounds annually. What is the Halibut Treaty? The Halibut Treaty was treaty made with Canada and America, the treaty concerned fishing rights in the North Pacific Ocean. The Halibut treaty was signed by the Canadian government without British partaking in any signing like they always had. British wanted to sign the treaty too and both Canada and British argued against and for signing the treaty together. Significance This was the first treaty to be negotiated independently without Britain interfering. Before the halibut treaty Canada would always sign treaties alongside with Britain. Signing the Halibut Treaty allowed Canada take a step towards their independence. United Nations The United Nations is an organization which was created / established in 1945. The United Nations is a replacement for the League of Nations. United Nations was created after World War Two, it was made to prevent any world conflicts from happening again. United Nations thrives to help other countries in need and plays a big role in peace-keeping. Canada is one of the founding members of United Nations and plays a big role in peacekeeping along with the 192 other nations. Canada and the United Nations ...
Words: 282 - Pages: 2