Canada and the United Nations: Setting the Record Straight

In response to the 2023 report, “Canada and the United Nations: Rethinking and Rebuilding Canada's Global Role,” Jack Cunningham argues that Canada should instead marginalize the United Nations. In response, this rejoinder maintains that, while the UN has weaknesses, the world would be a worse place without it. Look to the UN's work to close the hole in the ozone layer, deliver life-saving vaccines to millions, or give food and shelter to the displaced. The UN has been a remarkably successful norm-setter, creating vital international standards on issues that range from the more political to the technical. Cunningham favours a retreat by Canada to smaller clubs of like-minded states, without explaining how this retrenchment might produce more effective results on global issues, such as climate change. He offers no alternative to the UN. It is hard to see how abandoning the field to China, Russia, and Iran, would serve Canada's interests.