Question Period Note: Canada's United Nations Security Council Campaign

Canada is running for a non-permanent seat on the UNSC for the 2021-22 term, at elections in June 2020. Canada is competing against Norway and Ireland for two available seats in our regional group.

• Canada wants to contribute to innovative ideas, global connections, and share its expertise to help address the world's most pressing challenges. This is why Canada is running for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-22 term.

• None of the world's pressing challenges that we face today can be solved alone. Canada needs to be part of a multilateral approach in order to effectively address climate change, economic inequality and insecurity, the global refugee situation, conflict and violent extremism.

• Canada has identified five priorities if elected to the Security Council: sustaining peace, addressing climate change, promoting economic security, advancing gender equality, and strengthening multilateralism.

• [If pressed - Canada's late entry]
Canada is deeply committed to working with our international partners and has been leveraging all opportunities to discuss how we can build a more peaceful, inclusive and sustainable world together.
• [cost] A campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN requires time and resources. Canada is running a fiscally-responsible campaign, which will allow us to strengthen our diplomatic ties in the process and advance other priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

On March 16, 2016, Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canada's candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-22 term. The election will be held in June 2020 in New York. Canada is competing against Norway and Ireland for two available seats in our regional group.

·The UN Security Council has primary responsibility under the UN Charter for maintaining international peace and security. It is the most powerful and exclusive UN body and the only one that can authorize military action, establish peacekeeping missions and apply economic sanctions. It is alone amongst the UN bodies in being able to adopt decisions that are legally-binding on all UN member states.

·Given its responsibilities and limited membership (15 members, of which five are permanent), a seat on the Council is highly sought-after, and the demands of membership are significant given the Council's fast-paced agenda and extensive mandate.

[If pressed -Cost]
-As of October 31 2019, $1.943 million has been spent on operational expenditures for the UN Security Council campaign. This figure does not include staff salaries, which come from existing resources.
-Staffing levels for 2019-20 include 13 full-time positions currently assigned to work on the UN Security Council campaign.

[If pressed - Envoys]
-The Prime Minister has asked the Hon. Joe Clark and the Hon. Jean Charest to serve as Special Envoys for Canada's UN Security Council candidacy. They have both travelled to a number of countries to discuss shared priorities and to help advance Canada's United Nations Security Council bid.

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