Canada Reintroduces Itself to the World in Bid for UN Security Council Seat

A new beginning after a decade-long standstill

Trudeau is working hard to improve Canada’s international image. To help accomplish this, he has recently prioritized Canada’s search for a UN Security Council seat in 2021.

Due to a mess of incidents during Stephen Harper’s reign, Canada’s international image at the United Nations over the last few years can be described as turbulent. The Conservatives’ foreign relations were very critical of the UN after losing the bid for a seat on the Security Council in 2010. Then, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said at his first U.N General Assembly that “Canada does not just go along in order to get along.”

The quote was used for several years to criticize the Conservative government’s political philosophy.

Whenever questioned, Stephen Harper insisted that Canada’s Security Council bid was strong and principled, blaming the defeat instead on the political opposition from other nations. This dodging of responsibility would carry on to other issues that plagued the reputation of his administration, such as decreased African aid and weakened stances on climate change and peacekeeping. Unsurprisingly, many attribute Canada’s loss of the Security Council bid to such unpopular actions.

Trudeau is hoping Canada can re-enter the international stage in the sunny, positive way that we were traditionally known for. The Liberal Party is attempting to re-brand Canada as an active, progressive voice in international diplomacy. The general consensus is that this attitude defines Canada—not the cold, conflict-driven attitudes that were shown by the Conservatives.

Canadian officials are counting on several factors to help Canada earn the Security Council seat bid. From promising to send Canadian troops on UN peacekeeping missions to presenting measures to help refugees integrate into their new homes, Canada has much more to offer the world these days than it did under Harper.

That is not to say that the Liberals are without their challenges. The international political climate is liable to perceive Trudeau’s plan for progressive leadership unfavorably, as anti-immigrant sentiment runs high among several European countries and the States. However, the Liberal Party is in a good position to at least offer advice on matters of foreign immigration, as they have successfully welcomed and accommodated over 30,000 refugees.

Trudeau has demonstrated that he is fully capable of practicing what he preaches, at least in regards to allowing refugees into the country. This may be crucial in proving that Canada is the new face of progressive leadership. Thus far, the foreign press seems impressed by our Prime Minister. Time Magazine has put his name on their list of 100 Most Influential People, and The International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde approved of his economic policies as well as his gender diversity policies.

Whether or not these accolades will translate into a UN Security Council seat, however, remains to be seen.