Yesterday in Toronto, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the Royal York Hotel to face a large crowd of protesters objecting to Zelensky’s presence with shouting and placards saying such things as “FxxK you” and “Get out of our country”.
Veteran Journalist Andrew Coyne reacted to that this way. “What in God’s name….? I wish I could say this was a Putinite rent-a-mob. I fear it is just more evidence how genuinely unhinged a section of the public have become.”
Whether or not some of us have become unhinged is a matter for debate, but it is pretty clear, to me at least, that this era of populism which encourages us to look inward toward ourselves, also begets a form of isolationism that is potentially dangerous.
This world we live in has never been particularly peaceful. Almost always, there have been confrontations and conflicts somewhere. Occasionally they foster global warfare as they have at least twice in the last century or so.
There was a time when Canada, a relatively small fish in the international pond, punched well above its weight when it came to defending ourselves and others from tyranny and aggression by those who sought to impose their will and dominance on those people and countries that they coveted.
The result of that, at least in part, led to the recognition of Canada as a major player in world events. Sadly, not so much anymore.
When it comes to the war in Ukraine, we are essentially bystanders, wringing our hands at the aggression of Russia, but in real terms doing little about it. Yes, we send money and equipment, but it is more tokenism than a real effort to end this war. The same can be said for our neighbours to the south and, as well, for several other countries around the world.
This is not just a war between Russia and Ukraine. It is a war aimed at changing the international balance of power, that ever so delicate fulcrum that focuses on maintaining an equality of military strength between opposing countries.
If Russia is successful in unilaterally taking control of Ukraine, what is to stop other countries from doing the same? Will China quickly follow, to solidify its dominance in Asia? Will the alliance between Russia and China become so strong that the balance of power will swing toward them to the detriment of those countries in the Western world?
In this day and age, with nuclear capabilities on all sides, it is understandable that warfare takes on a much more catastrophic and cautionary meaning than it did a century ago. But history has also taught us that appeasement against global aggression doesn’t work.
It was Henry Kisinger, a National Security Advisor to several American presidents who said, “Whenever an avoidance of war has been the primary objective of a group of powers, the international system has been at the mercy of its most ruthless member……Appeasement guarantees the triumph of tyranny.”
One of the key reasons that the United Nations was formed was to act as an arbitrator between differing countries to prevent aggression and dominance where it should not occur. It was intended to promote peace, prevent war, and hold those accountable who did not live up to that creed.
Sadly, its charter has rendered it impotent. As long as China and Russia have a veto over what the United Nations can do, nothing substantive can be accomplished and the race to global dominance by those countries, cannot be stopped, at least not by the U.N. In fact, and in fairness, no single country, including the other three that do, ( France, Great Britain, and the United States )should have a veto that prevents the United Nations from dealing with unwarranted aggression by an international power.
And so, if the United Nations cannot do it, who is going to stand up and stop Russia in its quest for more territorial dominance? The harsh reality is that Ukraine, as brave and defiant as its people are, is definitively not winning this war and it will not do so without more backbone and consequential action by its international allies.
The outcome of a Russian win, even a diluted one, will have a deleterious effect not only on Ukraine but also on those nations that gave any kind of support to Ukraine, even lip service, however watered down and ineffective. Indeed, it will have the same effect on world order itself, as it will embolden others, like Russia, to increase their power base at the expense of other people’s freedom.
A gauntlet has been thrown down that cannot be dismissed. Canada on its own of course, cannot stop the Russian aggression in Ukraine. However, in spite of recent setbacks, we still have a loud and often effective voice on the international stage. We need to use it. We need to convince other nations that we cannot stand by and watch the repeat of territorial domination that was the genesis of World War Two. Of course, we want to prevent war, but we cannot prevent it by rewarding warlike maneuvers by aggressive nations with tactics of appeasement that lack the strength of force and diplomatic force, if possible, and military strength, if necessary.
Canada has always been a strong defender of territorial rights and the importance of every nation to determine their own destiny without the interference of foreign entities. That is why it was disappointing to me to see these demonstrations in Toronto against Ukraine. Isolationism is not a path to world peace.
In fact, in the long run, to turn our back on Ukraine is to turn our back on ourselves.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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