POLI 319 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Liberal Internationalism, Peacekeeping, Neoconservatism
13 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POLI 342
Wed - 02.07.2018
The Midterm: straight to the point answers, not focusing
on dates or authors specifically.
LITERATURE ON STEPHEN HARPER
It is true that was considerable difference in Canadian
foreign policy and surrounding rhetoric during he Harper
years.
Ibbitson: says his policies have been
transformative, :polar opposite of everything that came
before”
HARPER YEARS
1. CELEBRATING THE USE OF FORCE, “WARRIOR
NATION”
•more of a focus on words and rhetoric to “rebrand”
Canada’s role, rewrite its history
•Peacekeeper → peacemaker
•there is no peace to keep, rhetoric of fear
•renewed focus on the War of 1812 to remind ourselves
that we are a fierce nation with war in our history
•Tour through universities of War of 1812, big effort to
recreate our identity, 28 million spent on this project
by the government
•all mention of peacekeeping was taken off of
government website
From neoconservatism perspective: Pearson replaced
the military culture with one of liberal internationalism and
a focus on peace keeping. This liberal identity is
something that we have stopped questioning since the
end of World War 2.
•Harper government questioned the fabric of Canadian
identity
On Conservatives of the past: The Conservatives of
today were only made a few years before Harper. Before
they were the Progressive Conservatives, so this is not a
matter of two parties. (As we say Mulroney was one of
the biggest proponents of liberal internationalism)
Incoherent Policy Implementation
•unclear threats cited as reasons to increase military
might and “protect our sovereignty” by procuring F-35s
•this can now be seen as a ploy to change the rhetoric
2. REINFORCING RELATIONSHIP TO THE US
•support USA foreign policy
•influence via USA power
Increasing defence budget in attempt to be more like
the US (a major power) and support them
•these were welcome under the sense of modernization,
adaptation, getting at the table and being heard
•Afghanistan: very different from missions of the past
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Document Summary
The midterm: straight to the point answers, not focusing on dates or authors speci cally. It is true that was considerable difference in canadian foreign policy and surrounding rhetoric during he harper years. Ibbitson: says his policies have been transformative, :polar opposite of everything that came before . Harper years: celebrating the use of force, warrior. Nation : more of a focus on words and rhetoric to rebrand . From neoconservatism perspective: pearson replaced the military culture with one of liberal internationalism and a focus on peace keeping. This liberal identity is something that we have stopped questioning since the end of world war 2: harper government questioned the fabric of canadian identity. On conservatives of the past: the conservatives of today were only made a few years before harper. Before they were the progressive conservatives, so this is not a matter of two parties. (as we say mulroney was one of the biggest proponents of liberal internationalism)
