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Home : Top Stories : Canada to boycott UN disarmament conference

Canada to boycott UN disarmament conference

(Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird speaks during a debate in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
(Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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Date: Sunday Jul. 10, 2011 10:01 PM ET

Canada plans to boycott the United Nations conference on disarmament to protest North Korea's selection as conference chair, CTV News has learned.

Government sources say Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will make the announcement on Monday.

Officials say Baird and the Conservative government are dismayed that the UN chose North Korea, which is building nuclear weapons and has threatened South Korea with military action.

One senior government official described North Korea's chairmanship of the disarmament conference as "absurd," saying it undermines the UN commitment to demilitarize the world.

Sources say Baird hopes Canada's action will galvanize other countries to join in the boycott.

The conference on disarmament is the UN's forum for international disarmament negotiations.

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dwight jones
said
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The UN has 2% of the budget spent on arms, that is the travesty. Why should Korea disarm before Israel?And if they are engaged at the UN, that is a step forward.


Joe Szentirmay
said
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I think John Baird made the right call,it was a tough one.Dialogue with any totalitarian state could have a positive outcome, but in this case I doubt it.Hopefully the people of North Korea will be free one day,the sooner the better.The common sense revolution of politics in Canada was much overdue, now we have to focus on the leftwing/activist media,along with the courts and clean them up.


James
said
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Canadian International Lawyer:
"Who is to say that DPR Korea does not go away after this conference with a different perspective on development of arms?"

You had me right up until that sentence. If you think that attendance at a single conference will succeed where DECADES worth of talks have failed then I have a bridge to sell you. That is nothing more but gullible, head-in-the-clouds, wishful thinking.

I would have been fine if North Korea simply attended the conference. I do agree with keeping the lines of communication open. However the fact that they are actually chairing this conference is a step too far. It makes the conference a joke and sends a confusing/contradictory message to the public. Hence why the U.N. is losing so much support these days. Its like appointing Nazi Germany to chair a conference on stopping anti-semitism.

I understand the idea of treating all nations as equals but common sense has to be applied in all circumstances as well.

I support the governments decision. At this point its not just about sending a message to North korea but the U.N. as well. This kind of absurdity will not be tolerated. I only hope other nations will follow.


Zee
said
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First naming North Korea as the chair is disarming! Like how can anyone have confidence in such a committee? It's a joke and not a funny one at that. Sometimes I feel that the UN represents nothing but themselves, a self interest group. Not confident that Canada boycotting will have any effect what so ever. It's just a statement and I don't think Canada even has a seat in the UN (I could be wrong). Basically nothing more one can say as nothing will be heard.


Neil from Waterloo
said
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"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer". Continuing to ostracize North Korea will perpetuate the cold war. Time to have an adult conversation with them and that begins with diplomatic inlcusion in events like the one proposed by the UN.


Kevin
said
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To the Canadian International Lawyer,
As I first read this report, I was in the some position as most of the readers that have added comments here. I do try to keep an open mind as much as I can, and I must say. Thanks you for your sobering second look at this. All your points I do know about and are facts. I have to also say I agree with all of them after I sat for a moment. Yes we should take North Korea to task on all issues, but putting them in a corner with no voice is not the answer either. I am not a bleeding heart Lib or NDP, I have served this country from many years.
It is always better to talk to others, then to turn your back on them. Plus it's harder to be stabbed in the back when you are facing them. ;)Just my thoughts.



P. Pronin
said
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Actually clever move by UN. Some countries not interested in disarmament. What better way to sabotage meeting?!


peter in mb
said
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Putting North Korea charge is a bit like asking the wolf to guard the sheep.


William Sr.
said
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Time to pull the plug on our millions being spent on this Useless Organization. Baird and Harper will finally show Canadians how our tax payers money should be spent. Not on useless bloated bureaucratic dinosaurs like the UN! Kudos to you John for taking this first step to showing the world Canada has BALLS!


A Canadian International Lawyer
said
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While indeed the current military position of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (yes, that is the actual name for North Korea) is perceptively belligerent, how does isolating relations do anything but marginalize a population that already suffers from a terminal disconnect with the outside world. While I acknowledge that a hard line should be taken by the Canadian Government on any nation pursuing nuclear, chemical or biological weapon systems, perhaps we should consider the possible positive effect that international engagement can have. Had the Soviet Union been isolated in such a fashion, there would not have been points of progress like the Reykjavik Summit in '86 that led to the INF Treaty of '87.As to the appropriateness of DPR Korea to sit as chair for disarmament, as well as Libya's seat on the Human Rights Committee, reader's should consider the fundamental nature of the UN. EVERY nation is treated as equal under the UN Charter (Article 2(1)), and that the purpose is to develop friendly relations instead of pursuing use of force (war) (Article 1(2)). Furthermore, though the presence of our Government's representatives will add credibility to the conference, we should take the opportunity to voice our concerns directly at the DPR Korea delegation, taking them to task for violations and perceived hostility towards the global community.Who is to say that DPR Korea does not go away after this conference with a different perspective on development of arms? There are no guarantees for these types of conferences. However, our absence carries with it a guarantee that we will not be in our seat when the opportunity to affect change was present.


Michael
said
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The UN has become one of the worlds biggest jokes of the decade. It is time for Canada to withdraw from the UN and save millions each year that it pays into the UN.


Paul ~ Kitchener
said
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The United Nations is totally incompetent in their handling of World Affairs. Thank God our Federal Government has the conviction of courage to stand up publically and denounce this appointment. This is a sacriledge, to all those Military Personnel, that have given their lives, and limbs, to protect Democracy & Peace throughout the world. The Free Democratic World needs to stand up and "Dissolve the United Nations" and let it join their brothers in the "League of Nations". Thank you Mr. Minister, for standing up, for what we fought and died for, over all the years.


GRK from Oakville, ON
said
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Thank you to our Conservative majority government for their leadership in hopefully starting a boycott of this. Imagine putting north korea in charge of anything! A communist country that abuses its own people, and is building and using nuclear weapons. The UN has run its course and now is the time to send them packing....


Chris
said
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Why is North Korea even allowed to show up at the UN?


Salt and Vinegar
said
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North Korea in a UN disarmamamt meeting? How ironic and what a gullible, silly, yet redundant UN. The UN needs to be disbanded and rebuilt from the shoestrings up.


Sober
said
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Just another example of how crazy our world has become. Words fail.


sm in montreal
said
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OK. So how do you propose to disarm North Korea? Decades of talks, embargo's, threats have not succeeded. Bringing disarmament talks at their doorstep is one option that has not been tried before.


Lorraine I
said
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The U.N. has become such a 'useless entity' why do we keep on participating within that idiotic organization ?

Our moneys could be better spent somewhere else I'm sure!




Cambob in Toronto
said
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Dear Fallen: The Liberal doctrine of the last 40 years is about as dead as that party. Americans are the good guys wether you like it or not.


Trevor in the Hat
said
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Just another sign that the UN has become a useless bloated entity which needs to be disbanded. North Korea has made more threats of nuclear war than any other country in the past decade, constantly refuse to join into disarmament talks, constantly threatens assorted other military actions and have been found guilty of numerous attacks such as the torpedoed ship and island attack and yet the UN wants to put THEM in charge of diasarmament talks? If this were April 1st I couldn't come up with a bigger and better joke than this.


Cynical
said
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That the UN wants to demilitarize the world, yet the leadership of the committee concerned goes to a nation most likely to start a) a major war with its neighbor, and b) escalate to a nuclear attack, is beyond absurd. That such a nation should get the position just goes to prove hat the UN has long lived past its usefulness. Were North Korea to reduce the size of its armed forces, sign a peace treaty with South Korea and render up all its nuclear programs to international inspectors, perhaps then that nation would have credibility as an arbiter of peace and disarmament.


RJ in Halifax
said
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This is why most people feel the UN no longer has any relevence in the world. This is a country that refuses to allow inspections of its nuclear program, despite UN sanctions, openly attacks South Korean civilians and threatens all out war against "the West" if economic sanctions are not lifted. And yet, the UN decides to have them chair a disarmanent conference. Isn't this thinking somewhat akin to Neville Chamberlain's thinking in 1939 when he declared Germany would stop invading other countries because "Hitler said he would stop"?


Bryn
said
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At last, we have a government that has the gumption to speak out against the UN's stupidity! Thank you Mr. Baird!


Fallen
said
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It's rather absurd, to call meeting about 'disarming' if the main country is involved in 6(!) current wars, and has the biggest expenses on army since first world war ...


My View.
said
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The "United" Nations has given too much power to unfriendly nations....the U.N. seems to be useless....too many nations....united for whose good ?


Mark in Newmarket
said
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Ahhh yes, the UN with all their infinite Wisdom. Libya on the human rights commission, Somalia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia and now this. The UN stands for Use Less Nations, the most expensive, corrupted organization that we have to pay for. It has run its course and is time to disolve this bureaucratic useless organization that is really only benefiting those who want to use it as a stepping stone to advance their political career or to gain more wealth off of the backs of the poor.


It's what it is
said
0 0

Right On!


J.C.
said
0 0

I fail to understand the UN. Why put a country bent on building up its arms even nuclear, and recently threatening its neighbour to the south at the head of a disarnament committee or such? Something terribly wrong with the way the UN seems to think. It may be time to dismantle the UN completely.


John
said
0 0

North Korea, WTF? Baird got this one right. Next, let's put Iran in charge of a conference on gay rights and Saudi Arabia can chair a conference on women's rights.


Frank in NS
said
0 0

Finally a government with guts! The UN is starting to look more and more like a huge waste of money. What do they ever solve? Why should Canada march to the tune of a communist country?


This is a joke, right?
said
0 0

Involuntary committal is an extraordinary conditionality to the liberty of those deemed to suffer from a mental disorder and sets such people apart from the remainder of society in that their freedom is necessarily contingent on medical evaluation. If the UN was an individual, I would suggest we write up a commit against will notice…because apparently it has gone completely insane...is this April Fools' day... did I miss something... is this story for real??


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