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Re: Canadian Peacekeeping
I urge the Canadian Government to increase its contribution to the Democratic Republic of Congo peacekeeping mission and to adopt the policy guides listed below.
Provide immediate ground troops for the Democratic Republic of Congo peacekeeping mission.
Canada should provide ground troops, in addition to the transport planes promised by the Prime Minister. We do have the troops available. Almost ten years after the international community allowed hundreds of thousands of innocent people to be slaughtered in Rwanda, it is simply unthinkable that there would be any hesitation to react now, under similar circumstances.
Canada’s defence policy should accord a much higher priority to participation in peace operations.
Canada has a proud tradition of supporting the United Nations, and Canadians have acquired a hard-earned reputation for being at the forefront of UN peacekeeping operations. Unfortunately our participation has decreased to the point where we are now ranked 31st in contributions to UN operations. Canada can and should do more to share in policing a disorderly and violent world.
Canada’s increased contribution to peace operations should occur through the auspices of the United Nations or in UN missions.
I am also concerned that a disproportionate number of Canadians deployed abroad are serving under a NATO, not a UN umbrella. The UN has come a long way in implementing the recommendations of the Brahimi report and is well equipped to play a larger role in managing complex peace operations. The recent trend toward governments using the UN to do little more than rubber stamp often poorly defined peace operations undertaken by "coalitions of the willing" should be reversed.
Canada should renew efforts, undertaken in the mid-nineties, to provide the UN with a rapid reaction capability.
Specializing in rapid deployment to varied UN and domestic operations would advance an array of Canadian and UN objectives. While addressing the wider human security agenda of protecting civilians and preventing armed conflicts, a rapid reaction capability would also support national security requirements, NATO commitments and Canadian traditions.
Canada should organize training for diverse peacekeeping operations.
Institutions such as the Pearson Peackeeping Centre and the Peace Support Training Centre should be called upon to address the training requirements for rapid deployment.
In Conclusion
Canada has been in the forefront calling for the international community to do more to protect civilians in humanitarian emergencies. Now is the time for our deeds to match our words.
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