The last of a four-part series about the United Nations Organization. Read Part One here, Part Two here and Part Three here.There are many other unfortunate examples of how the unaccountable United Nations has deteriorated into a “political cesspool” as described by Michael Taube in Part 1. This week, in fact, according to a Reuters report, the UN World Food programme is investigating two of its top officials in Sudan over allegations including fraud and concealing information from donors.Why are we not shocked?Further, also just recently, a UN report described Canada’s temporary worker program as a breeding ground for modern slavery.This outrageous allegation is shocking — is the UN not able to differentiate between consensual activity and slavery? And how does that satisfy its mandate and protect what is left of its credibility?What follows are more examples of the United Nations violating its mandate, further illustrating its lack of accountability, excessive size and repressive progressive tone from the top from its socialist leader.We are all too familiar with the face of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO,) prominent during the COVID-19 crisis. He deflected questions about whether the virus leaked from a Chinese lab. He did, however, manage to look culpable in protecting China. We will likely never know.Earlier detection and acceptance of responsibility and full disclosure might have intercepted the virus and avoided the global crisis. Much of the above is conjecture, given the lack of transparency. But it is another reason not to trust the UN.Another WHO issue was highlighted in a Western Standard column by Lee Harding on August 18th, reporting a Brownstone Institute analysis. This US institute questioned the legitimacy of amendments to International Health Regulations by WHO, describing the negotiations as a “polemic, operating in a political environment that has largely stifled democratic deliberation, wider scientific and political consultation, and ultimately, legitimacy”. This supports our theme.The Brownstone Report questions whether this is “a further concentration and potential misuse of power… giving the WHO Director-General considerable scope for interpretation and a reminder of how extensive restrictions on fundamental human rights were justified for over two years in many countries”.Another inappropriate and revealing missive was just released this week. UN experts today presented a report urging investors to integrate human rights considerations into their environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability approaches, to align them with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.How can any mandate expansion justify the UN directing investors to align with yet another progressive notion, which interestingly is fast losing its cachet? Should the all-knowing bureaucrats be guiding the financial world in Canada or anywhere else?What do they know about investment management? Paradoxically, demanding we accede to UN principles adds to the genre of activities that ultimately reduce freedom while absolving individual responsibility for investors and their decisions. These boring process issues generate little public interest while adding significant power to suppress freedom by an organization with a mandate to protect human rights, democracy, and freedom. The world needs to challenge this “mission gallop.”The incoming president of the next UN-sponsored COP meeting to be held in Azerbaijan in 2025, recently stated that the climate talks are “critical to plot aid for poor nations”. The worst thing that the so-called climate crisis is doing to developing nations is denying the utilization of fossil fuels that have been fundamental to the prosperity of the Western world.Like most socialists, the folks at the United Nations do not understand market principles and probably don't want to. Applicable to the broader political imperative to reduce the production of fossil fuels, they don't understand (as our federal government) that reduction of consumption begins with lower demand. If consumers stop buying oil, natural gas, and coal, production will follow demand down.Sending such signals is part of how the market works. The fact that coal, oil, and natural gas continue growing provides information (that free citizens want fossil fuels) the idealogues deliberately ignore. Reducing production by political means results in higher prices, more inflation, and a loss of freedom of choice. The self-importance and superiority of the UN elites compel their continued activism. This includes desperately advancing the false narrative of a burning planet, siding with the protagonists against Israel (the only democracy in a critical part of the world), appearing to appease China versus full transparency regarding the COVID-19 virus, and so much more. The colossus is out of control, inevitably like most unaccountable entities.Canada's annual assessment for 2024 is almost $83 million U.S. dollars, money that could be used to reduce Canada's growing debt. But more important would be the message dissuading the “political cesspool” from further advancing its desire to control our country, our politics, and even the beliefs of Canadians.Another topic for another day is how to downsize, break up, restructure, and /or repurpose the UN. The colossus is out of control and off mission. This is a unique opportunity for the next government to assume global leadership.This concludes Herb Pinder's four-part review of Canada's relationship with the United Nations Organization.
The last of a four-part series about the United Nations Organization. Read Part One here, Part Two here and Part Three here.There are many other unfortunate examples of how the unaccountable United Nations has deteriorated into a “political cesspool” as described by Michael Taube in Part 1. This week, in fact, according to a Reuters report, the UN World Food programme is investigating two of its top officials in Sudan over allegations including fraud and concealing information from donors.Why are we not shocked?Further, also just recently, a UN report described Canada’s temporary worker program as a breeding ground for modern slavery.This outrageous allegation is shocking — is the UN not able to differentiate between consensual activity and slavery? And how does that satisfy its mandate and protect what is left of its credibility?What follows are more examples of the United Nations violating its mandate, further illustrating its lack of accountability, excessive size and repressive progressive tone from the top from its socialist leader.We are all too familiar with the face of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO,) prominent during the COVID-19 crisis. He deflected questions about whether the virus leaked from a Chinese lab. He did, however, manage to look culpable in protecting China. We will likely never know.Earlier detection and acceptance of responsibility and full disclosure might have intercepted the virus and avoided the global crisis. Much of the above is conjecture, given the lack of transparency. But it is another reason not to trust the UN.Another WHO issue was highlighted in a Western Standard column by Lee Harding on August 18th, reporting a Brownstone Institute analysis. This US institute questioned the legitimacy of amendments to International Health Regulations by WHO, describing the negotiations as a “polemic, operating in a political environment that has largely stifled democratic deliberation, wider scientific and political consultation, and ultimately, legitimacy”. This supports our theme.The Brownstone Report questions whether this is “a further concentration and potential misuse of power… giving the WHO Director-General considerable scope for interpretation and a reminder of how extensive restrictions on fundamental human rights were justified for over two years in many countries”.Another inappropriate and revealing missive was just released this week. UN experts today presented a report urging investors to integrate human rights considerations into their environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability approaches, to align them with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.How can any mandate expansion justify the UN directing investors to align with yet another progressive notion, which interestingly is fast losing its cachet? Should the all-knowing bureaucrats be guiding the financial world in Canada or anywhere else?What do they know about investment management? Paradoxically, demanding we accede to UN principles adds to the genre of activities that ultimately reduce freedom while absolving individual responsibility for investors and their decisions. These boring process issues generate little public interest while adding significant power to suppress freedom by an organization with a mandate to protect human rights, democracy, and freedom. The world needs to challenge this “mission gallop.”The incoming president of the next UN-sponsored COP meeting to be held in Azerbaijan in 2025, recently stated that the climate talks are “critical to plot aid for poor nations”. The worst thing that the so-called climate crisis is doing to developing nations is denying the utilization of fossil fuels that have been fundamental to the prosperity of the Western world.Like most socialists, the folks at the United Nations do not understand market principles and probably don't want to. Applicable to the broader political imperative to reduce the production of fossil fuels, they don't understand (as our federal government) that reduction of consumption begins with lower demand. If consumers stop buying oil, natural gas, and coal, production will follow demand down.Sending such signals is part of how the market works. The fact that coal, oil, and natural gas continue growing provides information (that free citizens want fossil fuels) the idealogues deliberately ignore. Reducing production by political means results in higher prices, more inflation, and a loss of freedom of choice. The self-importance and superiority of the UN elites compel their continued activism. This includes desperately advancing the false narrative of a burning planet, siding with the protagonists against Israel (the only democracy in a critical part of the world), appearing to appease China versus full transparency regarding the COVID-19 virus, and so much more. The colossus is out of control, inevitably like most unaccountable entities.Canada's annual assessment for 2024 is almost $83 million U.S. dollars, money that could be used to reduce Canada's growing debt. But more important would be the message dissuading the “political cesspool” from further advancing its desire to control our country, our politics, and even the beliefs of Canadians.Another topic for another day is how to downsize, break up, restructure, and /or repurpose the UN. The colossus is out of control and off mission. This is a unique opportunity for the next government to assume global leadership.This concludes Herb Pinder's four-part review of Canada's relationship with the United Nations Organization.
