It is not surprising that this domestic policy is reflected in Canada's foreign policies. Often viewed as a "peacemaker" - thanks to its own propaganda and the propaganda successes of Lester Pearson's UN efforts for a peacekeeping force [10] - Canada's foreign interests are very frequently assisted under more violent terms.
Canada's imperial foreign policy
Canada's foreign policy is often seen domestically as being a benefit for the world. Nothing surprising in that as most of the propaganda to support Canada's foreign affairs is directed at the domestic population, as is done within other countries. Right from the beginning, when Canada was essentially 'settled' and the Indian problems had been removed either to the reservations or to the impoverished centers of major towns and cities, Canada's imperial role, under British guidance, continued.
Canada has never lost the cultural ties to the British that promote imperial military adventurism overseas. Those links did weaken, but the neighbourly presence of the United States and the increasing encroachment of U.S. affairs binding Canada to the U.S. have directed Canada - willingly for the most part - to support U.S. foreign policies. It is not always military activities binding the two countries. NATO, NAFTA, NORAD and other agreements make Canada an effective part of the U.S. empire.
Canada's contemporary foreign policy events highlight its attachments to the U.S. empire, but also its willingness to act on its own parallel interests. Canada supported NATO in its bombing of Serbia, the bombing of Libya, and its occupation of Afghanistan. It has recently organized the "Lima Group", a collection of right-wing Latin American governments willing to harass and sanction Venezuela while supporting a "government in exile" led by U.S. puppet Juan Guaidà ³. Now that "Lima" has departed from the group, it has not been active in current events.
Continuing with Latin America, there are two large examples of imperial reach. One of them is rather understated - the support Canada provides to its mining companies operating within other countries, buttressed by trade agreements, subsidies through foreign "aid", and through "security cooperation" with the governments involved.
Haiti is the prime example of Canadian imperial interference. Food was part of the program: in order to maintain the imperial legacy in Haiti, Canada played a major role in eliminating a native pig species, forcing the importation of hogs from Canada and the U.S.; Canada supported the removal of tariffs on rice, allowing foreign rice - cheaply subsidised - to flood the market and devastate the local rice growers. Food dependency not being enough, Canada assisted in deposing the popularly elected Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
In other affairs, Canada supports sanctions against Russia, based mainly on U.S. and British foreign policy objectives. Only recently, Canada embroiled itself in U.S. foreign affairs by arresting and holding Meng Wanzhou for extradition to the U.S. on trumped-up bank and wire-fraud charges. Meng was released after some back-room negotiations between Canada and the U.S., more than likely propelled by 'realpolitik' than any generosity or humanitarian considerations.
Israel
Not last, and not least, but highly significant, is Canada's support of Israel. While officially holding to the two-state solution, Canada does not care to understand, wilfully, that a two-state solution is all but impossible. The wilful ignorance continues with Canada's parliament passing an anti-BDS motion.
In CJPME's chats with MPs after the vote, many MPs admitted they knew virtually nothing about the BDS movement, and what motivates it. [11]
Fortunately, the Canadian populace is well ahead of the government with concerns about the illegality of Israel's settlement policies, its near-starvation rules placed on food imports to Gaza, and the ongoing violence and expulsions of Palestinians in the West Bank - sounds familiar this far into the critique.
A series of recent polls show that the majority of citizens support BDS and the application of international law and human rights in part through the jurisdiction of the ICC.[12] Israeli activities in Sheik Jarrah and the military actions against Gaza, while not highlighted in the mainstream media, were important factors in the general trend of the polls.
The Anglo empire rolls along
Canada, born of empire, continues to be an active imperial participant, both in its own endeavours and in support of ongoing British and U.S. imperial adventures. Along with the British-sponsored "outpost" of Israel in the Middle East among all its other imperial concerns, Canada's imperial drive - at home and abroad - is as strong as ever.
[1] Fisher, Robin . Contact and Conflict - Indian-European Relations in British Columbia. 1774-1890. UBC Press, Vancouver, 1977, 1992.
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