Canada rebuts UN Security Council critics as Champagne to NYC for final push

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is bound for New York City to join the final push for Canada's campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Champagne will join Marc-Andre Blanchard, Canada's ambassador to the UN, in the final days of the campaign against Norway and Ireland for two available seats.

In an interview, Blanchard is pushing back at critics of Canada's bid for a seat on the council, including the Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and a pro-Palestinian coalition that opposes Israel.

Blanchard says Canada is a leader on climate change and most foreign diplomats understand that it is a tough issue that poses challenges for all countries.

And he says the countries that will vote— including Gulf and Arab states — understand Canada has an even-handed and long-standing approach to the Middle East.

Blanchard says he respects the dissent on both issues because "we live in a democracy" but Canada has a strong case to make for the council on climate change, global security, gender issues and rebuilding a more economically fair world after the COVID-19 pandemic.