Today, Behind The Headlines host Lee Camp speaks to filmmaker and peace activist Pitasanna Shanmugathas. Pitasanna has produced a six-part documentary series exploring the role of Canada's foreign policy in the international arena and the impact it has on the world. His journey to uncover the truth behind Canada's foreign policay started in 2019 and has resulted in an impressive and eye-opening series, which can be viewed for free here.
In episode one of "Truth to the Powerless", Pitasanna explores Canada's colonial history and its emergence in the post-World War II order. Many people associate colonialism with Britain and the United States, but fewer know about Canada's colonial past. Canada emerged from World War II as one of the largest military powers in the Western world, with a significant army and navy. However, before the war, Canada actually supported the emerging fascist powers. The country's prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King was a notorious antisemite who refused to take any Jewish immigrants fleeing from Hitler, who he described as Germany's Joan of Arc. Canada's policy regarding Jews during this period was that even "none is too many", meaning that countless people were turned away at the border and sent back to a grizzly fate in Europe.
As Pitasanna's series catalogs, Canada has become a significant player in international relations. The country became a part of NATO and took a prominent role in the Korean War, showing its willingness to take part in global affairs (on the side of the wealthy nations). Canada also played a role in the development of the United Nations, and its foreign policy was heavily influenced by the U.S., which became its closest ally.
Canada maintains a positive image globally, with many of its citizens believing that it is a force for good. Yet underneath the progressive veneer, Canadian companies have been some of the most rapacious and exploitative anywhere. All around the world, Canadian mining companies have been accused of causing harm to the ecosystem and committing atrocities against local communities. The lack of accountability for these actions is often due to the interests of the capitalist system, which prioritizes profits over the well-being of people and the environment.
"Truth to the Powerless" also explores many chapters of Canadian history that are rarely discussed, including the country's strong support of apartheid regimes in South Africa and Israel, its role in destroying the countries of Iraq and Libya, and how Canada took a leading role in dismantling democracy in Haiti and supporting coups in Latin America.
Watch the full interview exclusively at MintPress News.
Lee Camp is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and activist. Camp is the host of Behind The Headlines' new series: The Most Censored News With Lee Camp. He is a former comedy writer for the Onion and the Huffington Post and has been a touring stand-up comic for 20 years.