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| Canada seeks UN security council seat in effort to re-establish ties, Trudeau says | Canada seeks UN security council seat in effort to re-establish ties, Trudeau says |
| (7 months later) | |
| Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced that his country will seek a seat on the United Nations security council as part of his government’s pledge to establish closer ties with the world body. | Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced that his country will seek a seat on the United Nations security council as part of his government’s pledge to establish closer ties with the world body. |
| That pledge to recommit to the UN was “enthusiastically” welcomed by the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, who was in Ottawa for an official visit with Trudeau on Thursday. | That pledge to recommit to the UN was “enthusiastically” welcomed by the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, who was in Ottawa for an official visit with Trudeau on Thursday. |
| “Since the United Nations was founded, Canada has always been one of our most important partners,” Ban said following a meeting on Parliament Hill with the prime minister. | “Since the United Nations was founded, Canada has always been one of our most important partners,” Ban said following a meeting on Parliament Hill with the prime minister. |
| The decision by the Trudeau government to renew the country’s involvement with the UN also includes a pledge for greater participation in UN peacekeeping operations and to boost contributions on mediation, conflict prevention, and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. | The decision by the Trudeau government to renew the country’s involvement with the UN also includes a pledge for greater participation in UN peacekeeping operations and to boost contributions on mediation, conflict prevention, and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. |
| But looking towards a seat on the security council will be a symbolic move away from the previous Conservative government’s prickly relationship with the UN after Canada lost out to Portugal in its bid for a security council place. | But looking towards a seat on the security council will be a symbolic move away from the previous Conservative government’s prickly relationship with the UN after Canada lost out to Portugal in its bid for a security council place. |
| The snub was widely seen as a rebuke from the global community over a number of unpopular foreign policy stances taken by the former Conservative government under the then prime minister Stephen Harper, including a steadfast support for Israel and decreased aid to Africa. | The snub was widely seen as a rebuke from the global community over a number of unpopular foreign policy stances taken by the former Conservative government under the then prime minister Stephen Harper, including a steadfast support for Israel and decreased aid to Africa. |
| Trudeau said Thursday he “highlighted to the secretary general that part of Canada wishing to re-engage robustly with the United Nations and in multilateral engagement around the world includes looking towards a bid for the UN security council” as vacancies open up. | Trudeau said Thursday he “highlighted to the secretary general that part of Canada wishing to re-engage robustly with the United Nations and in multilateral engagement around the world includes looking towards a bid for the UN security council” as vacancies open up. |
| During their meeting, the two leaders discussed Canada’s ambitions to meet emissions targets set during the Paris climate talks late last year, as well as the ongoing conflict in Syria and the refugee crisis it has caused in the region. | During their meeting, the two leaders discussed Canada’s ambitions to meet emissions targets set during the Paris climate talks late last year, as well as the ongoing conflict in Syria and the refugee crisis it has caused in the region. |
| The secretary general praised Canada’s role in the Paris talks and the Liberal government’s commitment to welcoming 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February, and urged Trudeau to increase the amount the country spends on development aid. | The secretary general praised Canada’s role in the Paris talks and the Liberal government’s commitment to welcoming 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February, and urged Trudeau to increase the amount the country spends on development aid. |
| “I believe that Canada has capacity and resources,” he said. | “I believe that Canada has capacity and resources,” he said. |
| But the UN chief had little to say with regards to a controversial arms deal between Canada and Saudi Arabia when asked whether he had concerns about the multibillion deal and if he had discussed it with Trudeau, who took power in November. | But the UN chief had little to say with regards to a controversial arms deal between Canada and Saudi Arabia when asked whether he had concerns about the multibillion deal and if he had discussed it with Trudeau, who took power in November. |
| Last week, Britain came under renewed pressure to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia over concerns the country was involved in indiscriminate bombing of civilians in the conflict in Yemen, following a speech by the secretary general in London urging UN permanent security council members to do more to halt the influx of weapons to the region. | Last week, Britain came under renewed pressure to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia over concerns the country was involved in indiscriminate bombing of civilians in the conflict in Yemen, following a speech by the secretary general in London urging UN permanent security council members to do more to halt the influx of weapons to the region. |
| “We need states that are party to the Arms Trade Treaty to set an example in fulfilling one of the treaty’s main purposes: controlling arms flows to actors that may use them in ways that breach international humanitarian law,” Ban said in a speech in London. | “We need states that are party to the Arms Trade Treaty to set an example in fulfilling one of the treaty’s main purposes: controlling arms flows to actors that may use them in ways that breach international humanitarian law,” Ban said in a speech in London. |
| Trudeau has pledged that Canada will sign on to the arms treaty. | Trudeau has pledged that Canada will sign on to the arms treaty. |
| The Liberal government has been criticised for refusing to suspend a multibillion-dollar, 14-year deal with Saudi Arabia that was brokered in 2014 the under the former Conservative government by the Canadian Commercial Corporation, a federal Crown corporation that acts as the country’s international contracting and procurement agency. | The Liberal government has been criticised for refusing to suspend a multibillion-dollar, 14-year deal with Saudi Arabia that was brokered in 2014 the under the former Conservative government by the Canadian Commercial Corporation, a federal Crown corporation that acts as the country’s international contracting and procurement agency. |
| Opponents of the deal, including Amnesty International, are calling for the deal to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi security forces, manufactured by Ontario-based General Dynamics, to be suspended over concerns about the Gulf nation’s human rights record. | Opponents of the deal, including Amnesty International, are calling for the deal to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi security forces, manufactured by Ontario-based General Dynamics, to be suspended over concerns about the Gulf nation’s human rights record. |
| Asked about concerns, Ban spoke broadly about the need for political, not military solutions to conflicts in the region. | Asked about concerns, Ban spoke broadly about the need for political, not military solutions to conflicts in the region. |
| “What we see in the region like Syria and some conflict zones in Africa, there’s a constant flow of arms to either side, government side or opposition side,” he said. | “What we see in the region like Syria and some conflict zones in Africa, there’s a constant flow of arms to either side, government side or opposition side,” he said. |
| “United Nations has been making quite clear that all these conflicts should be resolved through peaceful means, through engaging the parties, all the parties in inclusive dialogue.” | “United Nations has been making quite clear that all these conflicts should be resolved through peaceful means, through engaging the parties, all the parties in inclusive dialogue.” |
| On Thursday evening, Trudeau will host an official dinner with Ban and his wife, Ban Soon-taek, in Ottawa. | On Thursday evening, Trudeau will host an official dinner with Ban and his wife, Ban Soon-taek, in Ottawa. |
| On Friday, the secretary general will be in Montreal where he will meet with the Quebec premier, Philippe Couillard, and visit an anti-radicalisation centre based in the city. | On Friday, the secretary general will be in Montreal where he will meet with the Quebec premier, Philippe Couillard, and visit an anti-radicalisation centre based in the city. |