[mykalberta]

I think the only places we have lost influence is Africa and the Middle East.

Africa because we have dramatically decreased funding, and the Middle East because with the Oil Sands we are a definite competitor to the stranglehold the ME has on world oil supply and we are neighbors to the worlds biggest oil addict.

While normally those 2 areas are relatively insignificant to Canada, Africa will always be a heart strings continent and the ME is seen by Continental Europe as a relative safe source of Energy compared to the corrupt regime in Russia (how crazy is that).

IMO what lost us our seat wasnt Canada Foreign policy in general, but its foreign policy towards the ME. Canada is one of the very few countries that doesnt need to bend over to the ME for anything since they have nothing we need. Here is my "off the top of my head" list of why the ME would try to sabatoge Canada bid for the UN.

1 - oil supply
2 - afghanistan
3 - neighbors and friend to the big bad usa
4 - uae flight rights to Canada
5 - Research in Motion

If you look at the 2 European countries that got it (the simple fact that 2 countries were from Europe should raise red flags considering there are already 3 permanent members from the EU on the councl.

1 - Europe has no oil, needs oil from the ME
2 - while some are in Afghanistan, most arent doing the heavy lifting
3 - most of europe sees the US as an advisary, not a friend hence the formation of the EU
4 - Europe has already sold its soul (airline flights rights wise) to the ME
5 - dont really have anything here but I am sure if I followed ME/EU relations close it wouldnt be hard to find.