Playing hooky at the UN
Nothing wrong with Harper not speaking at General Assembly
Opposition members and critics of Stephen Harper are lambasting Canada’s prime minister for turning down an invitation to speak before the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair slammed Harper, saying: “We’re merging our embassies with Great Britain. Is our delegation to the United Nations next? Has the prime minister given up on Canada’s role at the UN?”
Liberal party Interim Leader Bob Rae admitted to reporters that there is much that is disturbing about the United Nations, but added: “You can’t just negotiate in front of a mirror. You’ve got to have a broader sense that you’re talking to a lot of people who might not agree with you. And that’s what the UN is all about.”
These are the very same people who spent years condemning Harper as a demagogic leader who hogged the spotlight from his cabinet when he ran minority governments. Now Harper is being criticized for doing the opposite. Instead of Harper speaking before the 168-nation delegation, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will speak on Monday, for the second year in a row.
Harper pointed out that Canadian prime ministers have not made a habit of speaking at the UN every time they are invited, mentioning that during his 10 years in power, Prime Minister Jean Chretien spoke before the General Assembly just five times. Since 2006, Harper has spoken only twice. But as he observed, it’s far more important that Canada holds an independent, strong and principled stand with regard to foreign affairs — that’s much more important than delivering speeches in front of the rogues’ gallery that is the UN.
On Wednesday, the Canadian delegation at the UN left en masse when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rose to spout his hatred before the world. Canada was joined by the United States in this form of protest. Israel would have undoubtedly done the same, except — in what can only be considered an insult — Ahmadinejad was invited to speak on Yom Kippur, the most holy holiday for Jews.
Canada’s statement with regard to leaving the assembly was on point. “We will not sit silently in our chairs and listen to Iran’s hateful, anti-Western, anti-Semitic views,” Richard Roth, press secretary for Baird, said. “If anything, today’s address only reinforces our decision earlier this month to suspend diplomatic relations with Iran.”
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar was baffled as to why Harper wouldn’t take the opportunity to share the stage with the likes of Ahmadinejad. “I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t want to speak to the General Assembly,” wondered Dewar.
The litany of things wrong with the UN is far too long to list here, but just look at the list of dictatorships that have chaired United Nations human rights commissions and committees over the years and the words farcical and Orwellian spring to mind. Giving the UN a miss now and again is a virtue, not a sin.