Canada in the Global Community

1. Chapter 13 Canada in the Global Community

2. What is Global Citizenship? • Global citizenship is an attitude and a state of mind • It requires you to respect and appreciate other cultures • To realize that...Canada is not the center of the Universe but rather a small part in it

3. Protecting Human Rights Internationally • Activists worked to end injustice against human beings after years of persecution in many areas of the world • WWII • Slave Trade • Etc • War needed to be regulated as well– needed to have rules • The Swiss led the charge to create the Geneva Conventions beginning in 1864

4. Tyranny in Europe • During the first half of the 20th century, tyrannical Communist and Fascist regimes came to power in Europe • These groups violated the rights of their own citizens • They suppressed any opposition and used manipulation and national pride to control their populations • Germany initiated it’s “Final Solution”- the plan to exterminate their Jewish population • Many still are unaware of similar atrocities carried out by the Soviet Union around the same time • Nazi leaders faced Tribunals at the Nuremberg Trials after the war and were convicted of Genocide

5. Human Rights Since the Universal Declaration • The UDHR is not a law– just a guideline • This means that nations can choose to follow it or not • It is meant to make clear what a violation of human rights is • Like using Child Soldiers or persecuting a particular racial group • Even if the UDHR is violated, however, it is unlikely that any nation, even the UN, will take action... Is this a problem?

6. Rwanda: A U.N. Failure • Rwanda had two tribes of people • The Minority Tutsi and the Majority Hutu • Both sides were exploited when the nation was a Belgian Colony, until 1945 • The Belgians gave the Tutsi most of the power– this creates tension • When Rwanda was set free, power began to shift in favour of the Hutu • As a result many Tutsi began to leave the country • These refugees started to attack the country in an effort to bring down Hutu control

7. Rwanda • Open conflict erupted and the Hutus killed 20,000 Tutsis within the country and forced 300,000 to flee • The UN sent in a peacekeeping force under Canadian General Romeo Dallaire • He was supposed to stop fighting between the two tribes but was not, himself, allowed to fight • When the Hutu president’s plane was destroyed, killing him, the Tutsis were blamed and attacked • Dallaire was not allowed to intervene and so over 1,000,000 people were slaughtered

8. The International Criminal Court • Human Rights Activists wanted to set up a court to try individuals suspected of violating Human Rights • The succeeded in 2002 with the establishment of the ICC at the Hague in the Netherlands • 120 Nations voted in favour of the new body with only 7 voting against it • The United States, China, and Israel voted against it... Why do you think this is?

9. Canada: Facing the Human Rights Challenge • Canada has been a staunch supporter of Human Rights since 1948 and has signed every human rights convention since then • We believe that if a nation respects human rights, it will be less likely to erupt in violence • Canada also accepts thousands of refugees every year

10. Not a Perfect Record • Canada has not been perfect with regard to Human Rights... • Problems with our Aboriginal population • Immigration discrimination (we let lots of Americans and British in, but not so many blacks, Chinese, etc.) • Discrimination during War time – Japanese internment • Canada eventually apologized for this, but not until 1988 (about 50 years) • Gave 21,000$ to each “survivor”, $12 million to a Japanese Community fund, and $24 million to create a Canadian Race Relations Foundation to keep future discrimination from happening

11. Canada’s Foreign Policy • Canada’s Federal Government is in charge of Foreign relations • It decides what organizations to join (like the United Nations, World Trade Organizations, etc) • The Foreign Affairs Branch is responsible for our Embassies, Consulates, Ambassadors, and Diplomats • It also assists citizens travelling outside of Canada and advises our government and international issues

12. Foreign Policy • Canada also has CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) • This group works to distribute $3 billion every year • Grants this money to projects working to • Ensure basic Human Needs • Gender Equality • Infrastructure • Business • Environment • The .7 percent solution • Canada has historically been a supporter of foreign aid (assistance to other nations) • Canadian Prime Minister Lester B Pearson in 1969 proposed the .7 percent solution as a fix for poverty • This meant giving .7 percent of our GDP to foreign aid • Only a few nations actually achieve this level every year (not including Canada– we’re at about .3)

13. NGOs and International Relations • NGOs are “Non-Governmental Organizations” – They work to improve the world • Usually they focus on a particular problem • Like hunger, disease, educational needs, etc • NGOs ask CIDA for grant money, usually for a specific project • NGOs feel they are better at fixing problems because they are run by volunteers and can be critical of government policies

14. Canada on the World Stage • Canada is part of the British Commonwealth – an organization of 53 nations • As part of this organization it demanded South Africa end Apartheid • We are also part of La Francophonie (like the commonwealth, but with French-speaking nations)