Council of Canadians - Canada failing peacekeeping according to new report
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2006
Canada failing peacekeeping according to new report
Canada has all but abandoned peacekeeping according to
“Marching Orders,” a new report released by the Council of
Canadians today. Launched at a press conference in
Charlottetown, where the organization is holding its 21st annual
general meeting, the report shows how the mission in Afghanistan
has compromised Canada’s role as a leader in peacekeeping.
“Canada has failed in its peacekeeping role, not by
accident, but by choice,” says John Urquhart, executive director
of the Council of Canadians. “Increasingly Canadians are
beginning to see that Canada is in the wrong mission in
Afghanistan.”
According to the report, Canada has invested tremendous
resources in the counterinsurgency operation in Afghanistan at
a time when UN peacekeeping is on the rise. Once a top
contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, Canada is now on par
with the tiny state of Mali with only 56 soldiers currently
involved in UN missions.
“Canada is freeloading on the UN,” says Steven Staples,
author of the report. “Yet the evidence shows that UN missions
are far more effective in resolving conflicts than U.S.
missions, and the UN needs Canada now more than ever.”
The Council of Canadians is demanding that the Canadian
government set itself the goal of once again being among the
top-10 global contributors of military personnel to UN
operations within five years.
“Canadians want their government and military engaged in
resolving international conflicts, not exacerbating them,”
says Urquhart.
Steven Staples will be speaking in communities across
Canada about the findings of this new report.
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For more information please contact:
Meera Karunananthan, Media officer
Cell: (613) 795-8685
meera@canadians.org
Our website for the Marching Orders report and tour
schedule:
http://council-of-canadians.c.topica.com/maafiWwabui9aboCoq6baeQy7T/
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The Council of Canadians
700-170 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON K1P 5V5.
Tel: (613) 233-2773; Toll-free: 1-800-387-7177
Fax: (613) 233-6776
inquiries@canadians.org
www.canadians.org
