OTTAWA -- A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says now is not the time for Canada to retreat on the world stage after it failed to secure a seat on the Security Council.
In an interview on CTV’s Question Period airing Sunday, author and diplomat Samantha Power says now more than ever democracies need to play a bigger part in advocating for the value of international cooperation, whether through the UN or elsewhere.
"I think we’re going to have to look for democracies establishing networks and informal coalitions outside of the Security Council and my major message if I had the ear of people in high places in Canada would be to keep doing what you’re doing, keep leading," she said.
"Don’t lead just for the sake of a Security Council campaign, but take that show on the road."
Canada placed third during Wednesday’s secret ballot election with 108 votes. Norway and Ireland earned 130 and 128 votes respectively among the Western European and Others group for 2021-22
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ramped up his lobbying efforts in recent months with African and Caribbean countries in a last-ditch attempt to shore up support. Holding a temporary position was one of his key foreign policy objectives since taking office in 2015, declaring a few months later "Canada is back" on the world stage.
This is the second consecutive loss for Canada in a Security Council election. The Conservatives, under the leadership of then-prime minister Stephen Harper, lost out on their bid for a seat in 2010.
Power said the loss isn’t surprising given how late Canada entered into the race compared to its competition.
"I think Canada’s biggest liability in this race was that Ireland entered in 2005, Norway entered in 2007, and prime minister Trudeau entered when he took power in 2016. So that’s a big head start," she said.
"It was a pretty big hole to dig out of in such a competitive slate."
She says bubbling U.S.-China tensions and President Donald Trump’s dismissal of the UN and other international institutions opens the door for middle powers to take a greater leadership role.
"Recognize that the kind of leadership that Trudeau tried to show over the last few years, because it was intrinsically important but also because it would help Canada get a Security Council seat, is precisely the kind of leadership that democracies and middle powers are going to have to show in light of the U.S.-China standoff," said Power.
Refugee settlement, and pandemic preparedness and response are two areas she encourages Canada to continue strengthening.
"You’d be surprised what middle powers can get done."
