Discussion Forums for the Dialogue Paper

Conclusion: The World We Want

Thank you for participating in the Dialogue on Foreign Policy. The interactive web site is now closed. The Minister's report will appear on this web site once it is released.

This Forum is bilingual, and participants post messages in their language of choice.

Previous Topic | All Topics |

Start Topic | Next Topic

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: Barretm82

Date: 2003-04-17 13:03:53

Not exactly what I am thinking codc01. I know were you are coming from. That is Canadian law should not supersede any other foreign countries people's laws. I agree.

The direction I am heading is that democracies should be able to agree on a core set of laws. (Forgive me if these already exist at the U.N. level, if they do, then these laws are not enforced).

For example;

No penalty of death speaking out against a government.

No penalty of death for publishing a free press.

No penalty of death for illegally leaving a country.

Would this be too cumbersome? Is it practical? What do you think?

On the other hand non-democracies would probably just kill people out of public sight more often if such a system existed.

Which gets back to my original point, that a dictatorship by its nature can not have just laws of the people, or it wouldn’t be a dictatorship. So why should we support/uphold the phony laws of a dictator?

Reply to this message

Show in topic

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-17 14:03:25

Sorry to disappoint you, but these laws are the basic rights of the UN Human rights charter, but you should remove the word 'death'... The charter clearly states that people are free to exercice these rights...

p.s : Is there a country where you get the death penalty for leaving that country (without comitting a crime of course...)?

I understand your point of view, but i think we only differ on the priorities given to international law... The most important thing about international law currently is that a state is sovereign, whatever happens within its borders. This supercedes everything, even the Human Rights charter - i would not reverse this, as there would always be intervention in the world. There should be a compromise, and a point where the UN says - ok, enough violations of basic rights, we're goig in...

We also have different opinion regarding the scope of intervention, free pess, or a way of thinking is not enough of a reason to intervene...

Just a question, if the USSR was not powerful during the Cold War, you are saying we should have acted against that country?

Reply to this message

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: Barretm82

Date: 2003-04-17 15:05:50

Ok, I fully understand you. I think you characterized it well.

..."Just a question, if the USSR was not powerful during the Cold War, you are saying we should have acted against that country?"...

If the USSR was not powerful, then the time to act would have been just after WWII and when Poland was up for grabs. I think we could have democratized a number of Eastern European countries, Poland would certainly have been a candidate early on no?

Reply to this message

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-17 15:34:53

I have no idea actually about Poland - but Stalin was a horrible dictator i would have understood intervention, but i still have doubts, because the USSR did help in ending WWII... So actually i can say i have no opinion in Stalin's era (as for after Stalin's era, I'd say no, i would not favour intervention)...

Reply to this message

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: Barretm82

Date: 2003-04-17 21:03:58

Yeah, I agree with you. After that point (Stalin) it wouldn't be a good idea.

Reply to this message

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: Barretm82

Date: 2003-04-17 16:08:19

..."p.s : Is there a country where you get the death penalty for leaving that country (without comitting a crime of course...)?"....

Common Citizens of North Korea can be put to death for leaving. (It is not publicized to the Media, they just go missing as I understand it)

Reply to this message

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-17 18:57:10

I knew that regime was crazy but not that much, but what you are saying is quite probable...pfft.. what can else i say...

Reply to this message

The Prime Minister comments on regeme change.

Contributor: Barretm82

Date: 2003-04-17 21:10:39

Unfortunately, there really isn't much we can do about it. That whole country is an obscurity it seems, other then a few minor accounts that get out.

Let’s hope Kim Il’s recent willingness to negotiate can be leveraged. Apparently after seeing Saddam get tossed Kim Il’s is reconsidering his options.

On a side note, N. Korea seems more like a cult then a typical régime, but I could be way off on that. <shrugs>

Reply to this message

Previous Topic | All Topics |

Start Topic | Next Topic