Lesson 26 — Activity 3: Canada's Missions
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Lesson 26 — Activity 3:
Canada's Missions
Canada's Missions
Warm Up
Canada continues to provide peacekeeping support around the world. In this activity, you will review some conflicts in which Canada has been involved.
Canadian soldiers, sailors, airmen, and peacekeepers are deployed overseas on various missions. Let's take a look at some of these missions below.
Sudan
Sudan is a poor central African nation with limited resources. Muslims and Christians have been fighting for control of Sudan for the past few years. To date, over 300,000 people have been killed and two million are homeless. Much of the conflict has been centred in an area known as Darfur. Many people are concerned that this conflict will be similar to the ethnic cleansing that happened in Rwanda if no action is taken. Canada has sent some military personnel to Darfur as well as increased the amount of aid it supplies. Many aid workers have been forced to flee this country because it is considered to be too dangerous for them.
Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Duran / Public domain
Afghanistan
Afghanistan was attacked by the United States shortly after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001. The USA removed the Taliban government in Afghanistan because they were hiding and supporting Al Qaeda terrorists, the organization responsible for the attack on the USA. The new government in Afghanistan continues to struggle to establish a strong democracy. Canadian troops fought to defeat the Taliban fighters and support the newly elected government. Further support was given in training Afghanis to govern themselves and in assisting with reconstructing the country, which suffered much damage in the ongoing war. Another very important role was providing humanitarian aid to improve the lives of the local people.
Haiti
Haiti, part of a
Caribbean island, is the poorest nation in the Americas, and it has seen
political turmoil under corrupt leaders for much of its history. Its
population is mainly French-speaking.
public domain
Haiti
Haiti, part of a Caribbean island, is the poorest nation in the Americas, and it has seen political turmoil under corrupt leaders for much of its history. Its population is mainly French-speaking.
public domain
Since June 2004, Canada has been a part of a United Nations Stabilization Mission. Canada's main contribution has been to supply up to 100 police officers to assist Haiti's transitional government in providing a more secure and stable environment for its citizens. The main focus is to reform both the government and the legal systems. This has meant overseeing fair elections and leading elected officials toward passing laws that ensure fair government.
Since June 2004, Canada has been a part of a United Nations Stabilization Mission. Canada's main contribution has been to supply up to 100 police officers to assist Haiti's transitional government in providing a more secure and stable environment for its citizens. The main focus is to reform both the government and the legal systems. This has meant overseeing fair elections and leading elected officials toward passing laws that ensure fair government.
The focus for reforms in the legal system has involved prison reform and training police officers. Another focus is to combat the power of the drug traffickers who were operating without fear of being captured or prosecuted.
East Timor
East Timor is a
tiny nation in the islands between Asia and Australia. It was settled
originally by the Portuguese, but it was invaded by its neighbour,
Indonesia, in 1975. In 1999, the people of East Timor voted to become an
independent nation. Violence that had occurred prior to the vote
continued after the election.
As a result of
the deteriorating conditions for the people of East Timor, international
pressure forced Indonesia to agree to an international peacekeeping
force in East Timor. The role of the multinational force was to restore
peace and security and provide a secure environment for the delivery of
humanitarian assistance. This was an interim emergency operation until a
more permanent United Nations peacekeeping force could be approved and
deployed.
Cacahuate, amendments by Globe-trotter and Texugo / CC BY-SA
East Timor
East Timor is a tiny nation in the islands between Asia and Australia. It was settled originally by the Portuguese, but it was invaded by its neighbour, Indonesia, in 1975. In 1999, the people of East Timor voted to become an independent nation. Violence that had occurred prior to the vote continued after the election.
As a result of the deteriorating conditions for the people of East Timor, international pressure forced Indonesia to agree to an international peacekeeping force in East Timor. The role of the multinational force was to restore peace and security and provide a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. This was an interim emergency operation until a more permanent United Nations peacekeeping force could be approved and deployed.
Cacahuate, amendments by Globe-trotter and Texugo / CC BY-SA
Welcome to Timor
Click here to watch a video to learn about the good work that Canadians are doing in East Timor.
Self-check!
Try This!
Click here to view a website with more peacekeeping missions around the world. Hover over the areas, and pay particular attention to Haiti and Sudan. Click on these and other countries to learn more about the peacekeeping missions.