United Nations peacekeeping and Canadian policy: A reassessment

After surveying a number of contemporary United Nations peacekeeping operatio ns the author comes to the conclusion that the traditional principles of consent, impartiality, non‐use of force, standard operating procedures, and rules of engagement have eroded. Training programs for multidimensional political/civilian operations are inadequate. The article concludes that it is not a question of whether the Canadian Forces are properly trained to perform the military functions of peacekeeping. The question is whether there is adequate appreciation of the complexity of the new generation of peacekeeping, of the involvement of military personnel in the politics of negotiation, and the administrative coordination with civilian governmental and non‐governmental personnel who are equally responsible to fulfil their share of a peacekeeping mandate.