Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne is heading to New York City to secure Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s coveted UN Security Council seat.
The minister will be joining Canada’s ambassador to the UN Marc-André Blanchard. Blanchard was sent by Trudeau to court other diplomats stationed in the US in May.
During an interview with the Canadian Press, Blanchard hit back at recent criticisms of Canada’s push, including those by climate alarmist Greta Thunberg. Blanchard said that Canada has a strong case for being a leader in climate change and other issues.
In a letter released this week co-signed by Thunberg and several UN ambassadors of small island nations, Trudeau is accused of failing to meet international climate obligations.
“For the young generation who will inherit the consequences of these decisions, it is critical that those who claim to be leading on climate action are held to account for decisions they are making back at home,” claims the letter.
The letter goes on to blast Trudeau for subsidizing Canada’s energy sector and not doing enough to curb carbon emissions.
The prime minister himself has been involved in the campaign to secure one of two revolving seats on the Council. Canada is currently competing against Ireland and Norway for the positions.
A part of Trudeau’s campaign involved touring through Africa to sway favour with UN members in the continent.
The prime minister courted Senegalese President Macky Sall despite the country’s abhorrent human rights record.
While Trudeau was in Senegal, Sall came to the defence of his government’s criminalization of homosexuality, claiming that it was not homophobic.
“The laws of our country obey rules that are the condensation of our cultural and civilizing values. This has nothing to do with homophobia. Whoever has the sexual orientation of their choice is not the target of exclusion,” said Sall.
Even while Canada was struggling with the coronavirus pandemic, Trudeau took the matter into his own hands and personally called 28 different world leaders to plead for support at the UN.
