Latest news with #LloydAxworthy
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Peace activists lament unravelling of landmine pact named after Ottawa
Social Sharing Paul Hannon remembers being in Ottawa in 1997 when representatives from across the globe came to the city to sign an agreement banning the production and use of landmines. At the time, Hannon was volunteering for Mines Action Canada, a coalition of groups advocating against the use of mines in armed conflicts. "It was a pretty magical moment in December, the first week of December 1997, when 122 countries from around the world came here to sign the treaty," he told CBC News. But 28 years later, the agreement is being challenged. Ukraine and five other countries, some of which are members of NATO, have either moved to withdraw from the convention or have indicated they would do so, citing growing military threats from Russia. Hannon and others who pushed for the treaty are lamenting how its being undone. They're also arguing that Canada, the country that brokered it, should play a more active part in keeping countries from withdrawing. "Once they've gone through that process and they've left, then people are going to start thinking, 'Where are those countries that were calling for this treaty, where were the countries that were the big leaders?'" Hannon said. 'We were where the landmines got banned' Lloyd Axworthy, who served as foreign affairs minister from 1996 to 2000, was the driving force behind the treaty in 1997. He said the inspiration for the initiative came after he and his 11-year-old son visited an exhibit on landmines. "He said, 'Well, aren't you the foreign minister, dad?' I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Why can't you do something about it?'" he told CBC. The way Axworthy went about forging the treaty, by including civic groups that typically weren't included in such agreements, would also come to be known as the "Ottawa process." Alex Neve, a human rights lawyer and former secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, said the treaty — and Ottawa by association — became widely known in international circles. "The degree to which other states have come to regularly call it the Ottawa Treaty or the Ottawa Convention — you hear both — is a real sign that the rest of the world recognizes Canada's leadership as well," Neve said. 'We're not playing that role anymore' Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on withdrawing from the convention, though it still needs parliamentary approval to take effect. The country's foreign affairs ministry said that Russia's use of anti-personnel mines "has created an asymmetric advantage for the aggressor." Neve said the move sets a bad precedent. "Anytime a nation shows the rest of the world that you can back away from your international obligations, you can retreat from your international obligations, it risks encouraging other governments to do the same thing," he said. Neve and Axworthy also said that Canada ought to engage more with countries to ensure they stay signed on to the convention. "We were one of the leaders in non-proliferation of weaponry," Axworthy said. "And we're not playing that role anymore." For Hannon, the crumbling of the treaty also stings on a local level, as it's something that everyone in Ottawa — and Canada — should be proud of. "Everybody thinks that the world knows about us because of hockey or Wayne Gretzky. And I would say now most of the world knows about us because we were where landmines got banned. That was a really significant thing," he said. "I would certainly like people to remember [the treaty] much more than this is the city where the convoy took over ... for two weeks. I think that's a much better memory to have and a much better claim to fame."
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Ukraine and five other countries leaving Canada-led treaty that banned landmines
In this file photo, children play near a landmine warning and a Buddhist shrine in New Village Border, Cambodia, March 10, 2005, along the Thai border. (AP Photo/David Longstreath) Ukraine and five other European countries are leaving an international treaty that bans the production and use of landmines. Nearly 30 years ago, Canada played an integral part in the creation of what's known as the Ottawa Treaty, which is starting to unravel in the face of Russian aggression. 'Right now, Ukraine is becoming, without a doubt, the most corrupted part of the world in terms of the number of landmines being planted, certainly by Russia and by Ukraine itself,' former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy said in an interview with 'And I think if these other Baltic countries continue on their borders, you're going to have what will clearly be an area of huge risk to civilians for the next half-century.' Axworthy took a leading role in creating the treaty while serving as Canada's top diplomat under former prime minister Jean Chretien between 1996 and 2000. The treaty was signed in Ottawa in 1997, a year after Axworthy publicly challenged the world to ban the weapons, which can remain dormant and deadly for decades and have been shown to disproportionately maim and kill civilians. 'The thing about landmines is it's not just a risk in the immediate term – a landmine's sitting around for 75, 80, 100 years,' Axworthy, now 85, said from Ottawa. This year, Ukraine, Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all announced plans to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, becoming the first signatories to do so. All six nations share borders with Russian territory. While Russian use of landmines in Ukraine has been widespread, Ukraine has responded by planting landmines of its own – despite ratifying the treaty in 2005. Axworthy fears the recent withdrawals could put the Ottawa Treaty and other international arms control measures at risk. 'I think Zelenskyy's decision to actually withdraw from the treaty is a serious one,' Axworthy said. 'I'm afraid that could be a catalyst for further resignations.' Lloyd Axworthy Former Liberal cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy looks on before being presented with the 30th Pearson Peace Medal during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. (Fred Chartrand/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Although more than 160 countries have adopted the Ottawa Treaty, about three dozen never signed it, including the United States, Russia, China, Israel, Iran and both North and South Korea. 'At the time, we came very close to having Bill Clinton sign the treaty, but he got pushback by the Pentagon,' Axworthy recalled. 'But in so doing, they made a very clear commitment that the United States would continue to honour 90 per cent of the standards in the treaty, and also continue to be a major supporter of demining and aid to victims.' The U.S. stance shifted in 2024, when the Biden administration authorized the transfer of landmines to Ukraine in response to Russian use. Since then, the dismantling of USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) under the Trump administration has hobbled demining efforts overseas. Recent landmine use has also been documented in Myanmar, Iran and North Korea. Germany, Japan, Norway, Canada and others have spent millions on efforts to clear landmines from affected countries, but in heavily contaminated places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Cambodia, civilians are still losing their lives and limbs, years after wars have ended. Advocacy group Mines Action Canada describes landmines as 'indiscriminate weapons from the 1900s.' 'In this century, landmines are a weapon of choice for those like Russia and ISIS who want to terrorize civilians or a weapon of desperation for non-state actors with no other options,' executive director Erin Hunt said in a written statement. 'The moves by Ukraine, Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, will put the citizens at increased risk of death or injury for decades to come because it is impossible to use an indiscriminate weapon responsibly.' Mines Action Canada is a member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. Widely considered a major diplomatic achievement for Canada, the Ottawa Treaty is officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. While Axworthy would like to see renewed leadership from Ottawa, he says government support for landmine work has waned over the past decade. 'I've been told in the meetings I've been holding … that right now there's no particular interest,' Axworthy said. 'One senior diplomat told me that to be effective, it has to have a political champion, and I don't think there's anybody, right now.'
Toronto Sun
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
KINSELLA: Carney a 'bootlicker' for Trump's demands. Just ask Lloyd Axworthy.
Lloyd Axworthy, the former minister of foreign affairs addressed the crowd Sunday on Parliament Hill for the "Elbows Up, Canada!" rally on March 9, 2025. Photo by Ashley Fraser / Postmedia Lloyd Axworthy stirred. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Manitoba Liberal MP looked around the panelled boardroom in 409-S, the office of the Leader of the Opposition, in Centre Block. 'I think I am going to express outrage about this one,' he said to the room. Someone laughed. It was long ago, 1992 or so. We were gathered for the daily meeting to determine what we — the Liberal Party Official Opposition — were going to ask about during Question Period. I can't remember what Lloyd had decided to be outraged about. But I remember that he said that. I was reminded of it again when Lloyd unloaded both rhetorical barrels on Mark Carney this week. The Prime Minister was 'a bootlicker,' Lloyd had said, quote unquote. For capitulating to Donald Trump's demand that Canada scrap the Digital Sales Tax, Lloyd suggested last week, Carney had revealed himself to be a craven coward. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Axworthy continued in his blog post: 'A pattern is now set: Trump harrumphs, we comply. What else will we quietly surrender? Cultural industries? Environmental standards, agriculture security, Arctic sovereignty?' Wow. Shots fired, as they say. So, the obvious question: was what Lloyd said genuine, or was it a bit of political performative theatre? Either way, it was something Mark Carney would be ill-advised to dismiss as the rantings of a Grit ghost. Lloyd Axworthy, you see, is a Liberal Party giant — a legend, really, going back to the Pierre Trudeau days — who kept the party alive in Canada's West, for years. He is a stalwart of the Liberal Party's progressive wing, and someone not to be trifled with. Even at the age of 85. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Lloyd's broadside should give the current Liberal leader pause, for two reasons. One, there is a growing suspicion within the Liberal Party of Canada that Mark Carney actually isn't a Liberal — he's a closeted conservative. For Axworthy and many Liberals of the Trudeau persuasion, the evidence of that isn't difficult to locate: carbon tax, capital gains, defence spending, now the digital sales tax. It's a growing list. Carney, some feel, may make Liberal-ish noises about the environment or social programs. But, when the chips are down — as they were on the digital sales tax — he reveals his true colours. And they're not Liberal red. That's what the country wanted, that's why Carney won the election, his acolytes will say, and they're partly right. The Grits needed to move back to the political centre, and some progressive shibboleths needed to be shivved. True. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But Lloyd Axworthy makes a second important point, one that can't be so easily disputed: namely, who's the boss? Who determines Canadian policy, Donald Trump or Canadians? Because, make no mistake, the U.S. President isn't done with us yet. Next up: supply management. For the uninitiated, supply management is basically a system that controls the supply of dairy, as well as poultry and eggs. It's designed to keep things stable and manageable for our farmers. It is, yes, government control of part of the marketplace. And — key point — it is a practically Holy Writ in the province of Quebec. There, it is sacrosanct. Conservatives privately (and sometimes not-so-privately) deeply detest supply management. They see it as Soviet-style economics. But, in power, they've left it untouched, because they know the backlash in Quebec would be deep and wide. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Consider the parable of Andrew Scheer and Maxine Bernier: the latter lost the Conservative leadership, and his role in the Tory caucus, for opposing supply management. While the former won the leadership largely because of it. Since then, no Conservative has dared challenge the primacy of supply management. No one should delude themselves into thinking Trump will give supply management a pass. On his Truth Social platform a few days ago, Trump declared that Canada a 'very difficult country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products.' That's supply management. Every party in the House of Commons is in the record about supply management. On June 26, Bill C-202 passed through Parliament, and it effectively bars Carney from tinkering with supply management in his trade talks with Trump. Among other things, ending supply management would likely give the separatist Parti Quebecois — now the most popular political option in Quebec — the referendum ballot question they want. Which all brings us back to Lloyd Axworthy's characterization of Carney as Donald Trump's 'bootlicker.' What will Carney do, when Trump demands that supply management be ditched, as the digital sales tax was? Will he fight or – as Trump's press bobblehead said – will he 'cave?' Summers are usually pretty dull for politics. Ask Lloyd Axworthy: this one won't be. Sports Toronto & GTA Editorial Cartoons Money News MLB
Toronto Sun
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Axworthy accuses Carney of taking 'bootlicking' approach to Trump
Published Jul 02, 2025 • 4 minute read Lloyd Axworthy, the former minister of foreign affairs, addresses an "Elbow Up, Canada!" rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Photo by Ashley Fraser / Postmedia Network OTTAWA — Former Liberal foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy is accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of taking a 'bootlicking' approach to U.S. President Donald Trump at the expense of Canadian values. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'You have to be principled, you have to be tactical, you have to be pragmatic. But you also have to be tough and know what you stand for,' Axworthy said in an interview with The Canadian Press. 'Flattery is always part of the game, but you can take it to the point where you actually become unctuous.' Axworthy spoke to The Canadian Press after issuing an online broadside last Sunday against the Carney government. Axworthy, whom prime minister Jean Chretien appointed as foreign affairs minister from 1996 to 2000, oversaw the Ottawa Treaty that banned landmines in numerous countries. He has been a prominent voice on international relations, including through advocacy with the World Refugee and Migration Council. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a blog post following the NATO summit — where alliance members agreed to Trump's demand for a massive increase in the alliance's defence spending target — Axworthy accused Carney and other world leaders of bending a knee to Trump. 'NATO now risks letting one craven, mendacious man set the tone for a strategy of unrestrained militarism,' Axworthy wrote, arguing it's dangerous to let defence policy be decided by 'the abusive, racist bullying of Donald Trump.' Read More He also argued that the summit did not adequately push to ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and instead committed alliance members to a level of defence spending that will lead to cuts to social programs and likely foreign aid. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'A pattern is now set: Trump harrumphs, we comply. What else will we quietly surrender? Cultural industries? Environmental standards, agriculture security, Arctic sovereignty?' he wrote. In the interview, Axworthy singled out NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's exchange with Trump during the NATO summit — which saw Rutte refer to the president as 'daddy' — as an 'embarrassing' moment. He also said his concerns have been further bolstered by Carney's decision to rescind the Digital Services Tax that targeted American tech giants, as the prime minister and Trump undertake what he calls 'secret' trade negotiations with no parliamentary scrutiny. 'When do we stop pretending it's all part of some clever negotiating strategy that justifies bootlicking in hopes of tariff concessions?' he wrote in the blog post. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump suggested in March that the U.S. might sell allies fighter jets that lack the same capabilities as those used by the U.S. military. Axworthy told The Canadian Press it's unwise to accept a situation where 'the Pentagon controls the black boxes in your airplanes and your destroyers.' Axworthy said he sees the Carney government pushing ahead with foreign policy and domestic legislation focused on economic security, while ignoring the need to invest in diplomacy to prevent conflicts and defend Canadian values abroad. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Instead of solely focusing on military spending, he said Ottawa could mobilize investment and governments of various countries to have better freshwater management, because numerous countries are on track for major droughts that can lead to armed conflict. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Axworthy said Carney's major-projects legislation, Bill C-5, has undercut reconciliation efforts with First Nations and the government 'ignored' Indigenous Peoples in its rush to get the bill passed. 'It's way past (just) being consulted. They have to be partners. They have to be involved. They're basically the third pillar of this country,' the former Manitoba MP said of Indigenous Peoples. 'You're going to get the machinery working, but you're going to leave a lot of roadkill along the way.' The government fast-tracked the sweeping legislation and opted against shortening the 12-week summer break to give it more study. Carney's office has not yet responded for a request for a comment. The prime minister himself was extolling the virtues of Canadian democracy Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We find ourselves in a situation where our values are being tested by attacks on democracy and freedoms — attacks that we must resist,' Carney said in his Canada Day remarks. 'In a world that's fraught with division … we've decided not to pull apart and fight, but to come together and to build.' Axworthy noted that Carney came from a life outside of politics and said that's among the reasons why he endorsed Chrystia Freeland instead of Carney in this year's Liberal leadership race. 'I don't think he's ever knocked on that door or gone to a constituency meeting until he became a leadership candidate,' he said in the interview. Axworthy repeated an idea he floated in January — that Ottawa should work with the countries Trump has talked of absorbing to mount a campaign to promote rules-based trade and peace in the Arctic. Sports Money News MLB Editorial Cartoons Toronto Maple Leafs
CTV News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Lloyd Axworthy accuses Carney of taking ‘bootlicking' approach to Trump
Former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy speaks at a memorial service in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods OTTAWA — Former Liberal foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy is accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of taking a 'bootlicking' approach to U.S. President Donald Trump at the expense of Canadian values. 'You have to be principled, you have to be tactical, you have to be pragmatic. But you also have to be tough and know what you stand for,' Axworthy said in an interview with The Canadian Press. 'Flattery is always part of the game, but you can take it to the point where you actually become unctuous.' Axworthy spoke to The Canadian Press after issuing an online broadside last Sunday against the Carney government. Axworthy, whom prime minister Jean Chrétien appointed as foreign affairs minister from 1996 to 2000, oversaw the Ottawa Treaty that banned landmines in numerous countries. He has been a prominent voice on international relations, including through advocacy with the World Refugee and Migration Council. In a blog post following the NATO summit — where alliance members agreed to Trump's demand for a massive increase in the alliance's defence spending target — Axworthy accused Carney and other world leaders of bending a knee to Trump. 'NATO now risks letting one craven, mendacious man set the tone for a strategy of unrestrained militarism,' Axworthy wrote, arguing it's dangerous to let defence policy be decided by 'the abusive, racist bullying of Donald Trump.' He also argued that the summit did not adequately push to ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and instead committed alliance members to a level of defence spending that will lead to cuts to social programs and likely foreign aid. 'A pattern is now set: Trump harrumphs, we comply. What else will we quietly surrender? Cultural industries? Environmental standards, agriculture security, Arctic sovereignty?' he wrote. In the interview, Axworthy singled out NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's exchange with Trump during the NATO summit — which saw Rutte refer to the president as 'daddy' — as an 'embarrassing' moment. He also said his concerns have been further bolstered by Carney's decision to rescind the digital services tax that targeted American tech giants, as the prime minister and Trump undertake what he calls 'secret' trade negotiations with no parliamentary scrutiny. 'When do we stop pretending it's all part of some clever negotiating strategy that justifies bootlicking in hopes of tariff concessions?' he wrote in the blog post. Trump suggested in March that the U.S. might sell allies fighter jets that lack the same capabilities as those used by the U.S. military. Axworthy told The Canadian Press it's unwise to accept a situation where 'the Pentagon controls the black boxes in your airplanes and your destroyers.' Axworthy said he sees the Carney government pushing ahead with foreign policy and domestic legislation focused on economic security, while ignoring the need to invest in diplomacy to prevent conflicts and defend Canadian values abroad. Instead of solely focusing on military spending, he said Ottawa could mobilize investment and governments of various countries to have better freshwater management, because numerous countries are on track for major droughts that can lead to armed conflict. Axworthy said Carney's major-projects legislation, Bill C-5, has undercut reconciliation efforts with First Nations and the government 'ignored' Indigenous Peoples in its rush to get the bill passed. 'It's way past (just) being consulted. They have to be partners. They have to be involved. They're basically the third pillar of this country,' the former Manitoba MP said of Indigenous Peoples. 'You're going to get the machinery working, but you're going to leave a lot of roadkill along the way.' The government fast-tracked the sweeping legislation and opted against shortening the 12-week summer break to give it more study. Carney's office has not yet responded for a request for comment. The prime minister himself was extolling the virtues of Canadian democracy Tuesday. 'We find ourselves in a situation where our values are being tested by attacks on democracy and freedoms — attacks that we must resist,' Carney said in his Canada Day remarks. 'In a world that's fraught with division … we've decided not to pull apart and fight, but to come together and to build.' Axworthy noted that Carney came from a life outside politics and said that's among the reasons why he endorsed Chrystia Freeland instead of Carney in this year's Liberal leadership race. 'I don't think he's ever knocked on that door or gone to a constituency meeting until he became a leadership candidate,' he said in the interview. Axworthy repeated an idea he floated in January — that Ottawa should work with the countries Trump has talked of absorbing to mount a campaign to promote rules-based trade and peace in the Arctic. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025. Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
