Thread by @TamaraLorincz

1/5 On #NationalPeacekeepersDay, it's important to confront the myth that #Canada is a #peacekeeping country - it's not. Canada is ranked #71 in world w only 54 soldiers wearing @UN blue helmets, according to @UNPeacekeeping statistics: bit.ly/3zJDWR1 ⬇️ 🧵

2/ In 2015 @JustinTrudeau govt came to power promising more peacekeeping, but didn't. In 2017 govt also launched #ElsieInitiative to increase women in @UN #peaceoperations, but only 18 Canadian ♀️ are on #peacekeeping. #Canada doesn't do peacekeeping because it doesn't want to.

3/ So what countries are doing #peacekeeping & helping the @UN? Global south countries: #Bangladesh ranked #1 w over 6K peacekeepers, #Nepal, #India, #Ghana, #Senegal & #China is ranked #10.
How about the #US, the world's biggest, most well-funded military? What's its ranking❓🤔

4/ There's the #US, it's ranked #78 with only 33 soldiers on #UN #peacekeeping though it has a military of 1.5 million soldiers. So pathetic!
🇺🇸 & 🇨🇦 don't do peacekeeping; we're doing #NATO warfighting. Fighting and bombing in #Afghanistan #Libya #Syria #Iraq & now #Ukraine.

5/ On just one #NATO operation, #Canada has 700+ soldiers leading a battlegroup in #Latvia and going to boost the troops. Canada has thousands of troops and special forces on @NATO operations.
🇨🇦 is a warmaker not a peacekeeper.
@WBWCanada @CdnPeace