Canada has traditionally positioned itself as a peacemaker, which seeks to resolve conflicts in other states. However, the policies of countries cannot remain the same for decades as global changes require flexibility. For this reason, Cros, in his article, analyzes Canada’s positioning of its status as a peacemaker in domestic and international politics over the past 30 years to reveal its changes and current position.
This article is an example of a qualitative analysis of the country’s national policy. In the beginning, Cros (2015) looks at the traditional image of Canada before the end of the Cold War, which was rooted in the culture of the country’s population and the world. This image involves neutral mediation, soft power, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. However, the author further considers the evolution of internal positioning, which was caused by changes in the role of Canada in international relations (Cros, 2015).
After 1990, the Liberals were forced to adopt a new peacekeeping policy, which included traditional diplomacy and mediation, but also did not exclude the use of force against criminal acts in other states, such as genocide. At the same time, Cros (2015) notes that the Conservatives brought major changes to Canada’s image, which shaped its political culture. They began to represent Canada as a state that makes strong, sometimes cruel, or violent decisions, to ensure peace in the world.
Therefore, the main finding of the article is that although the methods of foreign affairs and the image of Canada have undergone significant changes, the position of the state as a peacemaker has remained unchanged. At the same time, representatives of its various political structures did everything to ensure that they did not change the country’s political culture. In addition, adaptation will continue, although its direction is still uncertain.
Reference
Cros, L. (2015). The narrative of Canada as a peacekeeping nation since the 1990s: Permanence and evolution of a national paradigm. International Journal of Canadian Studies, 52, 83–106.