We are now experiencing the start of a new cold war, on the eve of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Consider the international diplomatic tensions between the United States and China, not to mention the threats of an invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Isn’t it time for Canada to return to its historic role in support of a humanitarian peace initiative? How? ‘Or’ What ? By proposing to organize in Montreal or Quebec a world summit on equitable vaccination against COVID-19. Indeed, the figures speak for themselves: we already count more than 5.2 million deaths and 266 million people infected. As a wealthy nation, Canada can now give its citizens a third dose of vaccine, but, meanwhile, only 43% of the world’s population is fully immunized. The only way to achieve equitable and effective global immunization is to suggest to the World Health Organization (WHO) to organize a summit where all member countries of the United Nations (UN) would come together to pool their resources (vaccines, equipment and personnel). Of course, there is the COVAX initiative set up by the UN, but which faces many challenges, whether it be tariff barriers and “vaccine nationalism”, the complexity of the supply chain. procurement, funding for poor countries or misinformation about immunization in some countries. A world summit could help revive the initiative of equitable vaccination for all, rich countries as well as poor countries, and overcome the resistance of each.
Canada once played an important humanitarian role in preserving world peace, from the creation of the UN peacekeepers in 1956 by former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson to his fight against apartheid in South Africa, by the former Prime Minister Bryan Mulroney, or during the global mobilization against the proliferation of anti-personnel mines, the Ottawa Treaty (adopted by 160 countries in 1999) of the former Minister Jean Chrétien who made it possible to eliminate more than 49 million antipersonnel mines in stock. As a middle economic power, member of the G7 and G20, without a colonial past or ambition for military conquest, Canada is not a threat to any country. Our country can play the role of intermediary ambassador to bring together all the countries that wish to make the fight against the pandemic a priority.
The location of such a summit is strategically important. Quebec is close to the UN headquarters in New York, Canada is a member of the Commonwealth and Quebec is represented in the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF). We can mobilize our diplomatic resources to influence the organization of such a summit in 2022, which would increase the international notoriety of Canada and Quebec and would have a notable effect on fair vaccination for all, rich or poor!
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