Canada key role world stage

After the success of WWII, Canada had not yet found a comfortable role in which to exercise its middle-power status. Ultimately, however, Canada was able to find a niche that was perfectly suited to its middle-power status. The role that Canada created for itself was that of mediator and peacemaker. Canada played a key role on the world stage during the 1950’s and 60’s for its participation in world organizations, efforts to use quiet diplomacy to resolve international disputes, and their assistance in world conflicts.

Canada’s partnerships in world organizations have proved their ability to handle matters on a world stage level. An organization that Canada played a detrimental role in was the United Nations. On June 26th, 1945, 51 nations gathered in the San Francisco to vote for the approval of the Charter of the new United Nations. () Canada has been active at the United Nations since its foundation in 1945 and played a key role in drafting the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations, as well as finical support. ()

Canada’s participation in organizations such as NATO has greatly benefited the organization, and the country. The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington on April 4, 1949 establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. () This military alliance was designed to promote the stability of the North Atlantic area and to safeguard the freedom of its people. () Since 1949, Canada has been the sixth largest contributor to NATO's military and civil budgets. Canada's investment in NATO has provided our country access to strategic information, exercises with Allied forces, and an equal voice in high-level decisions affecting European security and stability. ()

NORAD has been a key element in Canada’s defense partnership with the United States. NORAD acknowledges the vastness of our countries and the realization that defense must be shared. It provides Canada with an enhanced capacity to respond to the evolving threats of a new security environment. () The benefit for Canada is an effective defense of the continent without incurring extraordinary costs, and allows Canada to assert its sovereignty over Canadian territory. () NORAD reflects the essence of the unique defense relationship between Canada and the US.

Canada’s participation in peace keeping activities proved Canada’s key role on ...

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Canada’s participation in peace keeping activities proved Canada’s key role on the world stage. The most significant of Canada's early peacekeeping missions occurred in 1956, when a dispute over the Suez Canal threatened the stability of the Middle East. October 1956, a joint English-French-Israeli military force attempted to regain control of the Suez Canal. () The Canadian secretary of state for external affairs, Lester Pearson, was, however, able to negotiate a diplomatic solution. One of the key elements of the settlement was an innovative method to help establish peace in the region: the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF). () With the arrival of the UNEF, the fighting between the combatants halted and a ceasefire was achieved. For his part in resolving the Suez Crisis, Pearson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. ()

Canada's longest peacekeeping mission began a few years after the Suez Crisis. In 1959, Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean, gained its independence from Great Britain. () Greek and Turkish communities on the island, however, could not coexist peacefully. By 1963, fighting had broken out between the two groups. () UN troops, including a Canadian contingent, were stationed in Cyprus to keep the peace. Canadian troops patrolled this uneasy buffer zone for over 29 years until the peace mission was completed in 1993. ()

Canada’s assistance in many world conflicts has proven their ability to resolve foreign issues. One conflict Canada aided in was the Soviet Blockade of Berlin. On June 1948, following various disagreements between the West and the Soviet Union, Stalin had all surface links between West Berlin and the western zones of Germany cut in hopes of trying to force allied powers out of Berlin. () The Berlin Airlift was established which brought a supply of vital necessities to West Berlin by air transport. ( )The Canadian Air Force aided in airlifting goods for the people who were blockaded in Berlin. On 15 April 1949, the Russian reported a willingness by the Soviets to lift the blockade due to the continued success of the constant allied airlifts. ()

A large conflict Canada took part in was the Korean War. The Communist North Koreans, who were supported by communist Russian and China, campaigned to unify the country by force. () Members of the UN were then told to aid the South by any means possible. More than 26,000 Canadians served in the Korean War, which was a huge contribution in proportion to its population. () The Royal Canadian Navy was the first branch of Canada's forces to provide aid to the UN Forces in Korea. ()

Canada’s participation in world organizations, peacekeeping, and aiding in global conflicts has proven their middle power status on the world stage. Canada assisted in resolving many international issues such as the Suez Crisis and the Soviet Blockade through peaceful means. Canada’s quick and wise decisions prevented many deaths and may have even prevented a future nuclear attack from the east.

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