VZCZCXYZ0032
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHOT #0901/01 3562231
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222231Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0191
INFO ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0008

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000901 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC CA
SUBJECT: CANADA'S CANDIDACY FOR THE 2011-2012 UNSC 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  In a letter that Embassy received on December 22, 
Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon laid out to Ambassador Jacobson 
some of Canada's goals if it wins a seat on the UN Security Council 
for the 2011-2012 term, highlighting Canada's "strong track record 
at the UN."  (Full text in para 4.)     He promised that Canada 
would advance "peacebuilding," push for greater UNSC transparency 
and effectiveness, and engage in "broad consultation with member 
states."   An enclosed brochure further described Canada's 
commitment to work toward a Security Council that is: 
 
--  accountable to the whole UN membership; 
 
--  transparent in its working methods and decision-making; 
 
--   reliable in its responses to threats to international peace 
and security, wherever they occur; 
 
--  credible in its actions and in ensuring that its decisions are 
acted upon; 
 
--  responsive to new and emerging threats to international peace 
and security; 
 
--  effective in its cooperation with regional and sub-regional 
organizations, such as the African Union; 
 
--  supportive of the UN's broader mandate, including development 
goals; and, 
 
--  respectful of the mandates and roles of other UN organs. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The brochure also highlighted Canada's regional 
memberships (OAS, APEC, NATO, OSCE, Arctic Council), its record on 
peacekeeping (120,000 Canadian blue berets in 46 of the 62 UN 
missions), its contributions on development (a doubling of aid 
overall between 2011 and 2010 to C$5.1 billion annually, including 
doubling aid to Africa between 2003 and 2009), its role in 
Afghanistan (both C$1.9 billion in development assistance from 2001 
to 2011 as well as 2,800 Canadian Forces in the ISAF mission), in 
Haiti (C$555 million in development assistance from 2006 to 2011), 
and in Sudan (C$624 in development assistance since 2006 as well as 
C$163 in humanitarian aid), and its financial contributions to the 
UN (in the top seven for the UN regular budget and in the top ten 
for UN peacekeeping operations).  Canada last served on the UNSC in 
1999-2000. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The letter did not specifically ask for U.S. support, 
only to "continuing to engage with your country on this priority 
candidacy." 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Begin text 
 
 
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
Ottawa, Canada K1A DG2 
 
 
 
December 18, 2009 
 
 
 
His Excellency David Cary Jacobson 
 
Ambassador 
 
Embassy of the United States of America 
 
490 Sussex Drive 
 
Ottawa ON K1P 5T1 
 
 
 
Dear Ambassador: 
 
 
 
As you may know, Canada is a candidate for a non-permanent seat on 
 
the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the 2011-2012 term. 
Canada has a strong track record at the UN and has made substantial 
contributions to international peace, security, development and 
human rights. 
 
 
 
With a seat on the Security Council, Canada would build on its 
proven capacity and commitment to pursue an active agenda at the 
UN.  Canada would advance peacebuilding, conflict prevention and 
conflict resolution, ensuring an effective response to emerging 
security challenges.  We would continue to push for greater 
transparency and effectiveness in the work of the Security Council 
in order to increase accountability to the entire UN membership. 
Canada would build on its history of cooperation with regional and 
sub-regional organizations, in support of the UN's broader mandate. 
We would be open and transparent in our own conduct, and engage in 
broad consultation with member states on key issues on the Security 
Council agenda.  We strive to bring these values of accountability, 
reliability and effectiveness to bear on the work of the Security 
Council. 
 
 
 
Enclosed with this letter please find a brochure outlining Canada's 
strengths and commitments in support of its candidacy.  We look 
forward to continuing to engage with your country on this priority 
candidacy. 
 
 
 
Sincerely, 
 
 
 
/s/ 
 
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, P.C., M.P. 
 
 
 
Enclosure 
 
End text 
BREESE