Shape foreign policy?

Participant: 1386

Date: 2003-04-15 18:37:40

Thank you, well said 'Fleabag'. Its a shame that many today seem to have given up on actively taking an interest in their government and participating in debate, but rather feel the best way of pursuing the changes they feel are necessary are from outside of the system.

I wonder if pursuing change through the UN as a long term goal will not hamper Canada's ability to affect issues of national and international interest in the short term since the UN is so obviously prone to derailment, leaving only alternative (mulitlateral or otherwise)avenues to help influence global events. A case in point, I believe, would be Kosovo, when NATO had to step in b/c the Security Council could not come to agreement (not that Canada had a lot to do with this decision, but it does illustrate the weakness of the UN, and in particular the Security Council).

I do, however, agree that ultimately, the UN should be reformed if it is ever to be the venerable democratic institution many hope it will one day become. Yet another item on Canada's foreign policy to-do list perhaps.