Haldimand-Norfolk MP shares petition for Canada to leave the U.N.

Conservative MP for Haldimand-Norfolk Leslyn Lewis is raising eyebrows for a post made on social media Wednesday supporting a petition for Canada to leave the United Nations.

More than 67,000 Canadians have signed the petition from the MP that calls on Canada to immediately withdraw from the U.N. and all associated groups, such as the World Health Organization.

The petition claims the U.N. “undermines national sovereignty and personal autonomy” of Canadians.

Over 60,000 Canadians have now signed a petition calling on Canada to protect our national sovereignty by withdrawing from the UN and its subsidiary organizations.

The petition remains open for signature until February 7th.
https://t.co/rBZCKEah31

— Dr. Leslyn Lewis (@LeslynLewis) January 3, 2024

It takes specific issue with the U.N.’s sustainability targets and the WHO’s comprehensive sexuality education, both of which have become contentious topics across North America.

Politicians have begun reacting online, with the Liberal Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rob Oliphant calling the petition “absurd and dangerous.”

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Surely @LeslynLewis is not supporting Canada withdrawing from the UN! That is absurd & dangerous coming from the @PierrePoilievre front bench! Is this their new foreign policy? Abandon our international obligations on human rights, women’s rights, children and so much more? https://t.co/B2TmbkDCaw

— Rob Oliphant (@Rob_Oliphant) January 3, 2024

Jane Boulden, a professor at Queen’s University and the Royal Military College of Canada says she was surprised to see a politician share the tweet.

“Well the implications would be pretty significant,” she says. “I mean for one thing I think everyone would be very surprised and it takes us, if we were to do it, it takes us out of the system all together, meaning the international system.”

“There’s 193 states, they are all members of the United Nations, even countries like North Korea. So, to pull ourselves out of that is very much to isolate ourselves in the international community.”

The petition is set to be brought before the House of Commons after it closes for signatures on Feb. 7.