|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
View Answers
Question 1: The 1995 Policy Review and SinceWhich values and interests bear most fundamentally on Canada's foreign policy? How can Canada's foreign policy better reflect the concerns and priorities of Canadians? |
|
| Contributor: | 1864 |
| Date: |
2003-05-01 01:40:37 |
| Answer: |
What are the concerns and priorities of Canadians? It is evident from polls that at a superficial level these can change quickly. It is unfortunate that political policy is often held hostage by this superficial reading of "concerns and priorities".
I realize that policy politics is a delicate balance between what is desirable and what is possible. However, I think that fear of what might be stirred up, particularly by the media, makes for failure of leadership from our elected representatives. I believe there is in all of us a bit of racism, a measure of greed, some fear for our security, etc., etc. But there is also in most Canadians, I believe, a large measure of compassion, a good sense of the global interconnectedness of people and of planetary life. Not many of us could give you an intelligent "on-the-street" sound bite that the media is always trying to get (and consequently make public opinion look pretty empty or idiotic). But, on reflection, many of us might have a pretty articulate essay about what we wish we'd said when we were asked.
Because we're all of us these pretty complex beings, it's pretty easy for cynical politics to "play the race card", or the consumer or economic common sense card, or the fear and personal security card, or the macho card (our soldiers can fight as well as any other country's soldiers).
What I would like is a government that looks to inspire what is best among us; to bring what is good in us to the fore and to call greed greed and selfishness selfishness and stupidity stupidity and lies lies. I believe that in a small measure this was happening with our Prime Minister around the Iraq war. He and his party waffled a lot, I think, but there were real moments of courage. And I think Canadians supported this. But, when Celucci(?) came out with his comments, our policy waffling became evident. What were we doing with ships in the Gulf and troops on exchange, etc., etc.? And why wasn't he challenged more directly on the idiocy of much of what he had to say. We were not in this war because it was/is illegal? The US is only interested in Canadian security in so far as it preserves US security.
We need to stand up and speak the truth at least as boldly and repetitiously as the current American administration speaks its lies, repeated over and over because their propaganda people say that eventually people will believe it like truth.
I think that if there was courageous and articulate leadership, Canadians could rise to:
-upholding international law;
-a policy that respects the promise of .7 % of GDP committed to foreign aid, intelligently untied and focussed on grassroots development;
-a policy that rejects war as an option at any time except under the auspices of the UN and under UN command, and conversely, that is aggressive and consistent in the pursuit of conflict resolution by diplomacy, negotiation and principled compromise and to peace-making and peace-keeping;
-Canadian leadership for reform of the UN to make this a more viable option;
-refusing to sell arms or military equipment to any country that is flagrantly in violation of its people's human rights or that is prone to launching wars in defiance of the UN;
-putting the word "fair" into the "free trade" and WTO discussions;
-a policy to implement the Tobin Tax in order to stop, or at least greatly reduce, the financial piracy that goes on in international financial markets;
-a policy that values and respects our relationship with the US enough to be frank and honest and not subservient.
|
|
|
|
|
