For decades, peacekeeping has been part of Canada’s identity — internationally and at home.
Through the Cold War years, Canada provided about 10 per cent of the 800,000 or so peacekeepers with the United Nations. In 1993, there were over 4,000 Canadian peacekeepers deployed around the world. Altogether, over 125,000 Canadians have served with the United Nations as peacekeepers since the 1950s.
Today, however, there are only about 60 Canadians serving as peacekeepers, and the federal government is reducing the number of missions where they serve — a decision made to “better align CAF resources with current defence priorities,” according to the Department of National Defence.
In April, Bob Rae, a former Ontario premier and ambassador to the United Nations, told Canadian Affairs that the reduction in Canadian boots on the ground reflects political reluctance in Ottawa.
“There’s not just a lack of … people power; there is also an aversion in the Department of National Defence that I’ve seen … to Canadian troops becoming involved in UN peacekeeping missions, which I think is, frankly, deeply regrettable,” Rae said.
On Sept. 16, defence experts convened to further explore this shift in peacekeeping.
Titled “A Middle Power Adrift? Canada and the Future of Peacekeeping,” the Barton Dialogues webinar brought together experts to discuss the challenges and evolution of peacekeeping in a fragmented and multipolar world.
For Claudia Pfeifer Cruz, a senior researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the world has changed — and so has the nature of peacekeeping.
In the past, she said, peacekeeping was more about monitoring ceasefires. Today, it involves things civilians can do, such as promoting human rights, conflict management and institution building.
Along with that, more countries, especially in Europe, are turning their attention to defence since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Many countries have shifted their security and defence priorities,” she said, noting that countries that have traditionally funded peace operations are less willing to do so.
“This is putting existing peace operations under increasing financial restraint, and it’s also decreasing the chances of new operations being launched,” she said.
Christopher Coates, who served for 34 years in Canada’s armed forces, agreed.
The increased threats to the West, and Canada’s northern location in the Arctic, has put the country at the centre of NATO’s response, he said. As a result, there will be “less demand for the peacekeeping operations . . . and an increased demand for deterrence and combat capabilities.”
Coates, who is also director of foreign policy, national defence and national security at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, says he does not expect to see a big increase in funding for peacekeeping. The focus of Canadian military now is making up “for a lot of deferred expenses, things the government has not invested in over quite some time,” he said.
For Walter Dorn, a professor of defence studies at the Canadian Forces College and the Royal Military College, the lack of support for peacekeeping by the Canadian government is lamentable.
Peacekeeping, he said, “saves lives and alleviates suffering.” In almost all cases where it was used, peacekeeping has had a positive effect, even if an overall mission failed.
By reducing its involvement in peacekeeping, Canada will “lose clout diplomatically and militarily,” he said.
Dorn noted there are conflicts in places like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and potentially in Iran when the war ends, where peacekeeping could make a difference.
“There’s so much scope for peacekeeping to be strengthened, not reduced,” he said.
“Canada can play a major role . . . With all the conflicts that are being created by the world leaders now, and from Trump to Putin, there’s going to be a need to create some mechanism for a more stable peace.”
Coates supported Dorn’s analysis about the international situation. But he also suggested there could be other approaches to lessening conflict.
For Pfeifer Cruz, though, peacekeeping missions still play a critical role.
“We all know that they are not perfect, but they are still one of the best tools that we have to address many of the conflicts that are ongoing,” she said.
