United Nations

Another One Bites the Dust: What Future for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights?
- February 8, 2018
The announcement in December 2017 by Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein of Jordan that he would not seek a second term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights — leaving the post in the middle of 2018 — came as a …
By David Petrasek
Human Rights, United Nations
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Liberals’ Vague “Values” Talk Undermines Rights Promotion
- February 2, 2018
Canadian governments since the mid-1970s have claimed that promoting human rights around the world is a foreign policy priority. There are solid moral, legal, and practical grounds for doing so. Yet increasingly, the Liberal government, like its Tory predecessor, justifies …
By David Petrasek
Canadian Foreign Policy, Human Rights, International Law, International Trade, United Nations
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A Canadian G7 Initiative: New Faces for a More Inclusive G20
- January 25, 2018
These are troubled days for our world. But Canada has a once-in-seven-years privilege to host the next G7 Summit, June 8–9 at Charlevoix, Quebec. The agenda for this important meeting is Canada’s to shape. It already looks likely to cover …
By John Sinclair
Canadian Foreign Policy, Economy, Fragile States, International Development, International Relations, United Nations
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Next Steps: How to Make It All Happen
- January 25, 2018
In part 1 of this blog, “A Canadian G7 Initiative: New Faces for a More Inclusive G20,” I proposed the enhancement of the G20 by adding two new members — representing LDCs (least developed countries) and fragile states …
By John Sinclair
Canadian Foreign Policy, Economy, Fragile States, International Development, International Relations, United Nations
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Canada’s Foreign Policy “One-Sided,” Not the UN Resolution We Refused to Support
- December 22, 2017
Canada refused to support the UN General Assembly resolution this week that rebuked the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In doing so, the Trudeau government undermined its claim to be cutting a new foreign policy …
By David Petrasek
Canadian Foreign Policy, Middle East, United Nations, USA
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Mapping Out a North Korean Peace Process
- December 11, 2017
By John Gruetzner

There are ultimately four critical components to a peace process:

The first component is to submit and then finalize a draft of a document acceptable to the original signatories that converts the armistice agreement signed on 27 …
By CIPS
Asia, International Security, Peacekeeping, United Nations, USA
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Canada Doubling Down on Diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula
- December 11, 2017
By John Gruetzner

Canada has announced that it is co-hosting a 16-nation summit with the United States early next year to explore options to engage North Korea. Prime Minister Trudeau is also likely to meet this month with US Secretary …
By CIPS
Asia, International Security, Peacekeeping, United Nations, USA
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Boosting an Under-Performing Foreign Policy
- November 27, 2017
The Trudeau government’s decision to harness the slogan “the world needs more Canada” comes at interesting times. The gloss of image and photo-ops that accompanied the Liberal electoral victory in 2016 has worn thin. Both Canadian and international publics are …
By Daniel Livermore
Canadian Foreign Policy, International Development, United Nations
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The Hidden Connection between Obesity, Heart Disease, and Trade
- October 24, 2017
This week, representatives from most of the world’s governments are meeting at a World Health Organization global conference in Uruguay to tackle the global pandemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

These NCDs are the chronic diseases — including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, …
By Ronald Labonte
Health, International Trade, United Nations
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No Easy Route to Nuclear Disarmament
- October 11, 2017
Last week, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to a campaign group seeking a global ban on nuclear arms. The award to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) surprised many observers, particularly in a year when the architects …
By Alexandra Gheciu
Cold War, Human Rights, International Law, International Security, United Nations
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Resuscitating the Canadian Foreign Service
- October 9, 2017
After years of neglect and mismanagement, the Canadian foreign service is now in serious trouble. The story of how it got this way is a long one, with a litany of poor management, appalling decisions by senior public servants, and …
By Daniel Livermore
Canadian Foreign Policy, International Development, International Trade, United Nations
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All the President’s Friends: Adventures in “Nambia”
- September 24, 2017
Every year, I begin my African Politics classes by giving the students a map of Africa with the state borders drawn, but their names missing. Filling in the blanks is a humbling exercise, and most manage only a handful: South …
By Rita Abrahamsen
Africa, United Nations, USA
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