Canada in Contemporary World Chapter 9

Question 1

What is the United Nations (UN)?

Answer 1

The UN is an organization founded by the Allies after WW2. It is composed of nations which want to maintain peace.

Question 2

When and why was the UN founded?

Answer 2

The UN was founded by the Allies on October 24, 1945. It was founded for the purpose of helping nations resolve conflicts peacefully & improve lives around the world.

Question 3

What do the symbols on the UN flag represent?

Answer 3

On the UN flag, there is a blue background, a laurel, & map of Earth. The background represents how we all share the sky, the laurel symbolizes peace & hope, while the Earth represents our home.

Question 4

What is the role of the UN Security Council?

Answer 4

The role of the UN security council is to keep peace. It issues calls for ceasefire, & creates peacekeeping forces.

Question 5

List 3 agencies that operate under the United Nations.

Answer 5

World Health Organization
UN Children’s Fund
International Monetary Fund

Question 6

Explain the importance of the UN Secretary-General.

Answer 6

The UN Secretary-General is diplomat responsible for representing the UN. They negotiate with other countries & diplomats to meet the goals of peace & justice. They also serve as a mediator who resolves disputes between nations.

Question 7

Explain the International Court of Justice.

Answer 7

The International Court of Justice is a court which is responsible for settling legal conflicts between nations, & to advise the UN on international law.

Question 8

Unilateralism

Answer 8

When one country pursues its self-interest without regard for others.

Question 9

What are economic sanctions? What is their purpose?

Answer 9

Economic sanctions are refusals to engage in trade with nations which are disputing with each other. Their purpose is to show these disputing nations that the UN members disapprove of their dispute.

Question 10

What is apartheid?

Answer 10

Apartheid is a system of laws which denies equal rights to Black people & other groups in South Africa.

Question 11

What brought South African apartheid to an end?

Answer 11

South African apartheid was brought to an end when Nelson Mandela was elected as the president in 1990.

Question 12

Korea Interventions

Answer 12

Cause of Conflict: North Korea invaded South Korea

UN Action: 17 member nations sent armed forces to protect South Korea

Canadian Participation: 20 000

Canadians fought in South Korea
Result: 312 Canadians died, & SK’s independence was restored

Question 13

Kuwait Interventions

Answer 13

Cause of Conflict: Iraq’s armed forces invaded & conquered Kuwait

UN Action: First called on Iraq to withdraw, then authorized economic sanctions, & finally used armed forces

Canadian Participation: Canadian troops & military vehicles were sent in to fight

Result: Kuwait’s sovereignty was restored

Question 14

Somalia Intervention

Answer 14

Cause of Conflict: Famine & Civil War

UN Action: “Use all means necessary to establish security for humanitarian relief”

Canadian Participation: Sent a supply ship, paratroopers, & armored vehicles to Somalia

Result: All UN forces left by 1995, & the fighting continued

Question 15

Explain the conflict in Rwanda during the 1990s. Include at least five points.

Answer 15

1990 - 1993: The Hutu & the Tutsis fought for power, & a civil war ravaged the country

1993: A peace deal was reached among the factions, & the UN sent a peacekeeping force to aid with implementing the agreement.

1994, April: The Rwandan president & the Burundian president were killed. Hutu extremists kill a large number of Tutsis in a genocide.

1994, May: UN Security Council says that a genocide may have taken place in Rwanda.

1997: The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda begins putting people charged with genocide on trial

Question 16

Why was the peacekeeping mission viewed as somewhat of a failure?

Answer 16

The peacekeeping mission in Rwanda was viewed as somewhat of a failure because it failed to prevent a genocide from occurring.

Question 17

Explain the term sovereignty.

Answer 17

Sovereignty is a state’s supreme & unchallenged control over an area. It is recognized & respected by other states.

Question 18

The Nuremberg Trials in 1946, established the principle that sovereignty could not be used as a shield for a state to hide behind to violate the universal rights of people. Do you think the international community should take action when a sovereign state violates the rights of people within its own borders? Explain your answer.

Answer 18

I believe that the international community should take action when a sovereign state violates the rights of people within its own borders. This is because universal rights are universal, regardless of the location. It is unfair for someone’s rights to property, life, respect, etc to be respected in one area, & then disrespected in another area just because it was in that area. To use such justification would lead to some repugnant conclusions. Thus, such actions should be met the same way we would meet actions which take place somewhere else.

Question 19

How has the UN Security Council addressed the issue in question 16?

Answer 19

In 2004, UN panel recommended the following:

• More intervention by Security Council
• Security Council size be increased from 15 to 24 members
• More UN inspections of nuclear development
• If a state fails to protect its citizens from human rights abuses, violence, etc, then the UN will take action to do so. This includes humanitarian operations, monitoring missions, diplomacy, & war.

Question 20

Who are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council?

Answer 20

China, France, UK, US, & Russia

Question 21

Where do the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council come from?

Answer 21

5 from Asia/Africa

2 from Latin America

1 from Eastern Europe

2 from Western countries

Question 22

How many judges are in the International Court of Justice, & who are they elected by?

Answer 22

There are 15 judges in this court, & they are elected by the Security Council & General Assembly.

Question 23

Multilateralism

Answer 23

When 3+ countries coordinate their foreign policies to achieve common goals

Question 24

Internationalism

Answer 24

Collaboration among governments of like-minded nations