Social Studies 20-4: Nationalism in Canada and the World
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Committing to Internationalism

Activity: Exploring the Connections: Foreign Policy and Internationalism
  • Instructional Support
  • Formative Assessment
  • Supporting Resources

Students describe how a country has been involved in peacekeeping and foreign aid, and how these actions are supported by that country's foreign policy.

Instructional Support

A number of possible tasks are provided in this suggested activity. It is not intended that you work through all of the tasks, but rather select those tasks and resources that will best meet the learning needs of your students. The focus should be on ensuring that students have the background and support to be successful with the skill that is the focus for assessment (describe how foreign policy could support internationalism).

Setting the Context for Learning

  • Have students review the video Girl Who Silenced the UN for 5 Minutes or a similar video/source of your choice where an individual's actions/words raised UN awareness regarding an important global issue.
  • Ask students to consider what Severn Suzuki would say are the most important motives for Canada to participate in internationalism. Would she support a reduced role for Canadian involvement in international affairs? Why or why not?

Describe How Foreign Policy Could Support Internationalism

  • Discuss with students the difference between domestic and foreign policy. Share with students Canada's Foreign Policy Priorities (Figure 10-18, page 237, McGraw-Hill Ryerson's student resource Understanding Nationalism). Present examples from current events of actions that the Canadian government has taken; discuss how each example represents either pursuit of Canada's national interest and Canadian nationalism or internationalism.
  • Explore Canada's support of UN peacekeeping missions by visiting a variety of websites that examine both the benefits and challenges of Canada's participation in these missions. Myths and Facts – Canada and UN Peacekeeping is a good teacher resource site.
  • Engage students in discussion so they can recognize the benefits as well as the challenges of Canada's participation in peacekeeping missions. Discuss the implications of these missions for Canadians, and the implications of these missions for citizens in the countries that are being helped. Encourage students to consider the perspectives of the peacekeepers and the peacekeepers' families.
  • Facilitate a discussion with students about how Canada can balance involvement in international affairs with the national interests of Canada. Use Canada's involvement in the Afghanistan war as an example. Examine:
    • why Canada participated in the mission
    • successes and challenges of the mission
    • how the mission was connected to the national goals and/or the national interests of Canada
    • how the mission was connected to the foreign policy goals of Canada.

    Note: In the Afghanistan war, Canadian soldiers did not participate as peacekeeping troops; however, Canadian involvement in the war is a strong example of how participation in international affairs is connected to foreign policy goals.

  • Engage students in discussion to recognize the benefits as well as the challenges of Canada providing foreign aid to countries that are struggling or experiencing natural disasters. Examples could include providing aid for the food crisis in East Africa and to Libya during the civil unrest. Discuss the implications for Canadians, and the implications for citizens in the countries that are being helped.
  • Prompt students to use these examples of Canadian involvement in international affairs as a starting point and to consider other examples of countries participating in international affairs through peacekeeping missions and foreign aid.
  • As students begin to work on the second part of the summative assessment task, describe how foreign policy could support internationalism, share with students that they need to go beyond merely listing ways that countries have participated in international affairs. To fully achieve this focus for assessment, students need to be able to describe how the peacekeeping and foreign aid examples are supported by that country's foreign policy. For example, a student may say that Canada's role in Darfur is supported by Canada's foreign policy to provide peace and security globally through peacekeeping.
  • Encourage struggling students to select Canadian examples. Not only will it be easier for them to connect current events with the examples, but it will also be easier for them to find information on Canada's foreign policy.