The Canadian State and Human Rights: the importance of idealpolitik and legitimacy

Abstract

Prepared for the January 2005 Atlis Conference, hosted at Mount Allison University. This special contribution examines Canada's commitment to human rights as an important element of its foreign policy. It argues that Canada has supported human rights not only through diplomatic, moral, and military means, but also by upholding the theoretical perspective of liberalism in order to legitimize its foreign policy.

Prepare pour la conference d'Atlis en janvier 2005 a Tuniversite Mount Allison. Cette contribution Speciale examine Vengagement du Canada vers les droits de Vhomme comme element important de sa politique etrangere. L'auteur propose que le Canada a soutenu les droits de I'homme non seulement par moyen diplomatique, moral, et militaires, mais egalement en soutenant la perspective theorique du liberalisme pour rendre legitime sa politique etrangere.