World From 1945-2000
Canada has played a very significant and valuable role in the world since 1945 and this vital role has continued to this very day. Canada is continually being viewed as a peacekeeping and peacemaking nation because of its efforts and contributions in organizations such as the UN, NATO and NORAD. These contributions have given Canada a much larger and more influential role on the world stage. Since 1945, Canada has been able to find a comfortable role in which it can exercise its middle-power status and still be recognized world wide for being a mediator and peacemaker.
Canada has made considerable contributions in organizations such as the UN, NATO and NORAD. The United Nations, or the UN, is an organization that promotes social and economic progress and peace world-wide. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was formed in 1949 and was focused on protecting Western countries from the threat of invasion by the Soviet Union. The North American Defence System, or NORAD, was an agreement created in 1957 between Canada and the US. This agreement was designed in order to meet and halt the possible threat of Soviet attack on North America.
The United Nations was formed in April of 1945 and consisted of 50 countries that all shared the same ideals and basic goals. The four basic goals of the United Nations are: keeping world peace and preventing new wars; improving the standard of living for all nations; encouraging cooperation among nations; and defending human rights and helping to promote equality. Canada has played an important role in the General Assembly, as well as the Security Council ever since gaining its own seat in 1948. Canada also played a crucial role in the drafting of the UN Charter. A Canadian man named John Humphrey is often given credit for drafting the Charter of the UN and Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson played a key role in solving many of the problems the UN faced. Lester