Canada's Place in the World Determined

One of the topics that has intermittently been discussed in the ongoing federal election has been concerning what is Canada's position in the world. Well I think this week we found our definitive answer: Canada is 180th out of 192 nations. Canada was the 180th nation to speak at the opening of the current session of the United Nations' General Assembly.

It is probable that a number of people will argue that this position is likely to have been influenced by the decision to send only a deputy minister to represent our nation instead of the Prime Minister or Minister of Foreign Affairs. I have already expressed my thoughts on this subject in a previous post. What I have to say this time is in reference to the message that Mr. Edwards presented to the UN Assembly.

Mr. Edward's presentation to the Assembly dealt with a number of topics from UN reform to human rights and the environment. One might say: "what's wrong with that? Those are important issues in the world today." Well that person would be correct but they also are not exactly new or groundbreaking. Those themes have been beat to death by almost every other nation in the UN. Why should Canada be positioned any earlier in the schedule of presentations if they are merely going to say what everyone else has to say? And this is not the fault of Mr. Edwards, it is the fault of the policy experts and bureaucrats within the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade who have not been able to formulate a coherent and comprehensive plan for Canada's goals in the world. Nothing new was prepared for Mr. Edwards concerning Canada's position on climate change or Canada's intentions to compete for a seat on the 2010 Security Council.

We all know the areas of concern in the world and rough comprehensions of what the goals should be. What does need to be addressed is how these things are accomplished. This is the area where bureaucrats dwell (so it should have been beneficial to send a bureaucrat!). Politicians come up with the goals and bureaucrats are supposed to figure out how to accomplish these goals so don't blame the politicians (they have enough blame flying at them in this election).

So the next time you hear a federal candidate questioned on Canada's place in the world, remember the role that bureaucrats play in determining where Canada is in the world for it is not always a question of what but how.

- blenCOWe