Le côté obscur de la force

During Guatemala’s 36-year-long civil war (1960–1996), Canada’s role in response to the conflict diverged from the United States’ realpolitik. In contrast to U.S. policy objectives during the cold war, the Canadian distinctiveness in Guatemala was prevalent in the realm of democracy and human rights policy. The Canadian government and civil society condemned human rights violations in Guatemala, supported the various phases of the peace process, and participated in international efforts to strengthen the rule of law. However, since 2003–2004, the Canadian government has promoted mining investments to the detriment of human rights and its relationship with civil society has deteriorated both at home and in Guatemala. This shift can be linked to a securitization process of human rights within the neoliberal order in Latin America and a change in the identity-based interest of Canadian foreign policy during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s era (2006–2015). Durante los 36 años de guerra civil en Guatemala (1960-1996), la respuesta canadiense se distinguió de la realpolitik estadunidense. A diferencia de los objetivos políticos estadunidenses durante la Guerra Fría, la presencia canadiense en torno a Guatemala se dio en el ámbito de la democracia y la política de derechos humanos. El gobierno y sociedad civil canadienses condenaron las violaciones de los derechos humanos en Guatemala, apoyaron las distintas fases del proceso de paz y participaron en los esfuerzos internacionales para fortalecer el Estado de derecho. Sin embargo, desde 2003–2004, el gobierno de Canadá ha promovido inversiones mineras en detrimento de los derechos humanos, y su relación con la sociedad civil se ha deteriorado tanto en casa como en Guatemala. Este cambio puede vincularse a un proceso de seguridización de los derechos humanos dentro del orden neoliberal de América Latina y un cambio en la política exterior canadiense, antes basada en la identidad, durante el gobierno de Stephen Harper (2006–2015).

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The Narrative of Canada as a Peacekeeping Nation since the 1990s: Permanence and Evolution of a National Paradigm

Cros

2015

International Journal of Canadian Studies

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International audienceSince the end of the Second World War, the government of Canada has regularly emphasized Canada's commitment to maintaining peace and liberty in the world through peacekeeping within the framework of the United Nations. Born in the 1950s, this narrative of Canada as a model peacekeeper held a central place in the successive Canadian governments' discourse on foreign policy and thus became an important element of the way Canadian national identity was defined. This article intends to analyze whether the narrative of Canada as a peacekeeping nation continued unchanged in more recent years. As we will show, since the 1990s, Canada's contributions to peacekeeping have undergone major changes. This article will examine whether these changes have been reflected in the official discourse on Canadian foreign policy produced by successive governments, both Liberal and Conservative, and whether, as a result, the narrative of Canada as a peacemaker is being challenged, and maybe replaced, by a new national narrative.Depuis la Deuxième guerre mondiale, le gouvernement canadien souligne régulièrement l'engagement du Canada à défendre la paix et la liberté dans le monde, en particulier par le biais des opérations de maintien de la paix menées par les Nations Unies. Né dans les années 1950, ce récit qui fait du Canada un champion du maintien de la paix a longtemps occupé une place centrale dans le discours de politique étrangère des différents gouvernements canadiens, et est devenu un élément important de l'identité nationale canadienne. Cet article se propose d'examiner si le récit du Canada comme champion du maintien de la paix a changé dans les vingt dernières années. En effet, nous montrerons que depuis les années 1990, la réalité de la contribution du Canada au maintien de la paix a beaucoup évolué. Cet article étudiera si cette évolution s'est répercutée sur le discours de politique étrangère produit par les gouvernements successifs, tant libéraux que conservateurs, et si, par conséquent, le récit du Canada comme champion du maintien de la paix a été remis en cause, et peut-être remplacé, par un nouveau récit national

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Le côté obscur de la force

Cited by 4 publications

References 19 publications

La fin des relations triangulaires Ottawa-Québec-Paris? Harper, la « diplomatie robuste » et les relations France-Canada

La fin des relations triangulaires Ottawa-Québec-Paris? Harper, la « diplomatie robuste » et les relations France-Canada

Canadian Human Rights Policy toward Guatemala: The Two Faces of Janus?

The Narrative of Canada as a Peacekeeping Nation since the 1990s: Permanence and Evolution of a National Paradigm

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