South Korean envoy expects 'ambitious' peacekeeping pledges from Canada
South Korea's ambassador to Canada is expecting the federal government to make some "ambitious" promises when his country hosts a major peacekeeping summit next week.
Ambassador Keung Ryong Chang says that expectation is based on Canada's historic support for the United Nations and peacekeeping, and not any specific knowledge about Ottawa's plans.
"I expect that Canada will present ambitious pledges," Chang said in an interview Friday. "Canada and Korea share the same values of peace, stability and security on the global level."
Canada will be one of dozens of nations participating in the two-day summit starting next Tuesday. While Defence Minister Anita Anand was supposed to attend in person, the meeting has since moved online due to the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Chang described the summit as an opportunity for participating nations to discuss new emerging issues in peacekeeping, including a greater focus on using technology on UN missions and addressing some of the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Yet much of the focus during the international meeting will revolve around what troops and equipment are offered by individual countries to the UN, which is struggling to fill a number of gaps and shortfalls on different missions around the world.
The United States has asked Canada to make good on its promise to provide a 200-soldier quick reaction force to the UN, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first committed when his government hosted a similar peacekeeping summit in Vancouver in November 2017.
Washington has also asked that Canada come to the summit with plans to pledge drones and medical units for peacekeeping missions.
The U.S. made the requests in a letter sent to Global Affairs Canada last month, in which it asked that the government notify the UN and South Korea of its planned pledges by Nov. 12. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Canadian Press.
Chang could not say whether Canada has informed his government of its planned commitments for the meeting, saying such information would likely have been sent directly to South Korean officials in Seoul.
But Canadian and UN officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said Canada did not meet that deadline.
Asked in an interview last week about the U.S. request to provide a quick-reaction force, drones and medical units, and whether the military can provide such assets given the many other missions currently underway, chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre indicated government discussions were still ongoing.
"It's a government decision as to if we would commit to that," he said, adding: "As we take a look around the world, we have to be very targeted with our investments because there's no shortage of engagement opportunities, no shortage of deployment opportunities."
Anand's office confirmed Friday that the minister will attend the summit, but declined to provide further comment.
"Canada's pledges will be made at the summit," spokesman Daniel Minden said in an email.
Chang said his country decided to host this year's peacekeeping summit, which is the first in two years, because it has been a direct beneficiary of the United Nations' efforts to maintain peace and security since the start of the Korean War more than 70 years ago.
Around 26,000 Canadians fought in the three-year conflict that started on June 25, 1950 when Communist North Korean forces supported by China and the Soviet Union invaded the U.S.-backed south; 516 Canadians died during the war, which ended in a military standoff.
The UN continues to maintain an armed force in the country today that is responsible for supervising the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Eyre served as deputy commander of that force for a year starting in July 2018.
"So we believe that peacekeeping is effective in curbing violence, discouraging gender-based violence and reducing civilian casualties in conflict areas," Chang said, adding: "It's very important for countries to provide pledges to reaffirm their support toward peacekeeping."
The Liberal government has been criticized for failing to match past promises and rhetoric supporting the UN with commitment and action.
While Ottawa did deploy helicopters to Mali for a year and has provided a transport plane to fly occasional support missions out of Uganda, the quick reaction force has yet to materialize while Canada's total contribution to the UN has sunk to historic lows.
Canada had 57 soldiers and police officers on peacekeeping missions at the end of September, according to the UN. While that was up from the record low of 34 in August 2020, it was still less than half the number deployed when the Liberals took power in 2015.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2021.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Local Spotlight
Want to boost your trivia score? Learn from these high school trivia whiz kids
English, history, entertainment, math and geography: high school trivia teams could be quizzed on any of it when they compete at the Reach for the Top Nationals in Ottawa in June.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Toronto-area dessert shop featured by Keith Lee forced to move after zoning complaint
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
'Oh Crap!' New exhibit at Canada Science and Technology Museum explores human waste
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
Regina police hope new biometric monitoring system will save lives in detention facility
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.