Diane Francis: Canada doesn’t need a UN seat. It needs a PM focused on issues at home

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been hobnobbing in Africa this week with the president of the Toronto Raptors, spending Canadian tax dollars to woo votes for Canada’s bid to get onto the United Nations Security Council. His roadshow follows another recent one by two cabinet ministers and a parliamentary secretary.

Last year, the Liberals blew $1.9 million on marketing costs for this seat, plus the salaries and expenses of the 13 government employees appointed to work full time on this bid. Undoubtedly, millions more will be spent until the June election in the UN General Assembly for a seat that provides zero benefits to Canada and, frankly, some serious potential downsides.

The question for Canadians to ponder is why does Trudeau indulge in an inconsequential goal that confers no power, economic opportunities or benefits to Canada?