Canada in the World

A measure of Canada's successful political and commercial relations with other countries has been our ability to conduct international activities in a spirit of shared enterprise, while continuing to promote and protect Canada's values and interests.

As a leader in areas such as peacekeeping, landmine removal, technology and innovation, Canada has much to offer its global partners.

As Canada has developed, its international reputation and influence have grown. It played an important role in the First and Second World Wars. Canada has belonged to the United Nations since that organization was created and has participated in practically all its peacekeeping operations. Canada is also an active member of the OECD, the G10, the G20, NATO, the OSCE, as well as almost all the United Nations agencies. Canada is the only country in the world belonging simultaneously to the G8, the Commonwealth and the Francophonie.

Canada headed the efforts of the international community to sign the convention totally prohibiting land mines (Ottawa, 1997). Since 1997, signatories of the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines have destroyed 20 million stockpiled mines. As a result, mine casualty rates have dropped by more than 50 percent in Cambodia, and by 90 percent in Bosnia and Mozambique.

In 1998 it led a coalition of states that made it possible to establish the International Criminal Court, which can try people accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2000, Canada was the first country to sign the United Nations protocol prohibiting the use and enlistment of children in armed conflicts.

Canada's flexible, multi-faceted approach to international relations enables us to assist developing countries and countries in transition. We give these countries the tools to eventually meet their own needs, by providing assistance in the form of goods, services, the transfer of knowledge and skills, and financial assistance. In this way, we strive to be a compassionate humanitarian donor pursuing sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is the federal agency directly responsible for delivering Canadian aid. CIDA supports projects in over 100 countries. Canada's foreign aid program supports efforts to provide primary health care, basic education, family planning, nutrition, water and sanitation, and shelter. We support the full participation of women as equal partners in the sustainable development of their societies. Another priority is helping developing countries and countries in transition deliver environmentally sound infrastructure services, with an emphasis on assisting poorer groups and building capacity.