Liberal government misfires on promised gun-marking measures

Trudeau spoke Thursday after meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

It is happening at a time when the United Nations is dealing with “an unprecedented number of conflicts and crises”, as Ban has repeatedly said, as well as continuing criticism of the UN’s relevance.

These discussions will build on the climate talks that took place last December in Paris, where Canada and 194 other countries reached a historic, ambitious, and balanced agreement to address climate change.

The previous Harper government was criticized for failing to make a strong bid for a council seat in 2010.

Liberal Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s proposals for his four-year term are projected to send Canada into the red in the neighborhood of $90 billion.

The Prime Minister said the government is committed to strengthening the UN’s peacekeeping ability in the world, and is especially anxious to be involved with human rights efforts aimed at increasing gender equality around the world.

“One of the suggestions that I greatly appreciate and that we will consider is having Canada send in not just more police officers, but more women, female police officers, in order to provide assistance”, Mr. Trudeau said in French. He praised Canada repeatedly for deciding to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees, and for the more than $1 billion in development and humanitarian spending earmarked towards the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. “Canada has completely changed – completely changed and shown leadership”, said Ban.

Following a joint press conference on Parliament Hill this afternoon, the two leaders will travel to the Catholic Centre for Immigrants in Ottawa, where they will meet newly arrived Syrian refugees.

During the tenure of successive Liberal and Conservative governments, Canada’s commitment to United Nations peacekeeping has dropped sharply since the 1990s, when the country deployed thousands of blue-helmeted peacekeepers.

“He’s championing youth issues and I think [Canada and the UN] are matching priorities”, said Alhendawi, adding that the trip will include meetings with high school students in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood and a lecture at McGill University on Friday.