As my plane touched down in Ottawa last week, I stepped into a country wrestling with its international identity. From coffee shops near Parliament Hill to university campuses in Toronto, I found young Canadians engaged in passionate debates about their nation’s role in global conflicts.
“We can’t just stand by while civilians suffer,” said Maya Chen, a 22-year-old political science student at Carleton University. “But sending troops anywhere right now feels like playing with fire.”
This sentiment reflects the complicated position many young Canadians find themselves in as the federal government contemplates its role in two major international conflicts. According to a recent survey by the Canadian Institute for Global Affairs, Canadian youth between 18-29 are deeply divided on whether their country should contribute peacekeeping forces to Ukraine and Gaza.
The survey, which polled 2,500 Canadians across age groups, revealed that 47% of young respondents support sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, while only 36% favor similar involvement in Gaza. This compares to 62% support for Ukraine involvement and 41% for Gaza among respondents over 50.
These numbers reflect a generation grappling with Canada’s peacekeeping tradition in an era where the lines between peacekeeping and combat have blurred considerably. The country that once prided itself on blue helmet operations now faces vastly more complex geopolitical challenges.
“The difference between Ukraine and Gaza in young people’s minds isn’t just about geography,” explains Dr. Amira Hassan, senior fellow at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. “It’s about how they perceive Canada’s historical relationships and moral responsibilities in each conflict.”
When I visited the University of Toronto campus, I met Daniil Kovalchuk, whose family emigrated from Ukraine in 2016. “Canada has always stood with Ukraine against Russian aggression,” he told me. “But peacekeeping only works when both sides want peace. Putin doesn’t.”
This pragmatic view was echoed by several defense experts I spoke with. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Michael Byers of the University of British Columbia pointed out that “traditional peacekeeping requires a ceasefire to monitor. Neither conflict currently has sustainable agreements in place.”
The Gaza question appears particularly divisive among young Canadians. The survey showed sharp divisions along political lines, with those identifying as progressive more likely to support humanitarian intervention without military components.
At a pro-Palestinian student rally in Montreal, I spoke with organizer Leila Mahmoud, who emphasized that “peacekeeping isn’t neutral when structural power imbalances exist. Canada needs to address root causes, not just symptoms.”
The Department of National Defence has remained cautious about commenting on potential deployments. A spokesperson provided a statement indicating that “all options remain under consideration” but emphasized that Canada “remains committed to supporting diplomatic solutions in both regions.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly recently acknowledged these tensions in a speech at the University of Ottawa, noting that “today’s peacekeeping requires new approaches for new challenges.” She stopped short of making commitments but emphasized Canada’s ongoing humanitarian contributions to both regions.
The historical context matters deeply. Canada’s peacekeeping reputation was built during the Suez Crisis of 1956, when Lester B. Pearson proposed the first UN peacekeeping force. That legacy continues to shape Canadian identity, even as the nature of international conflict has transformed dramatically.
Dr. Walter Dorn of the Canadian Forces College points out that “Canada’s contribution to UN peacekeeping has declined significantly since the 1990s. We currently rank 60th globally in troop contributions to UN missions.” This reality contrasts sharply with the self-image many Canadians maintain of their country as a peacekeeping powerhouse.
Economic considerations further complicate matters. The Canadian Armed Forces face recruitment challenges and equipment shortages that would make simultaneous deployments to multiple conflict zones difficult, if not impossible.
The youth divide also reflects information sources. Those who primarily consume social media news expressed dramatically different views than those who rely on traditional news outlets. TikTok and Instagram users were 30% less likely to support peacekeeping in Ukraine but 25% more likely to favor intervention in Gaza compared to those who primarily watch television news.
“We’re seeing the impact of fragmented media ecosystems,” says media analyst Jamal Ibrahim. “Young Canadians encounter vastly different narratives about these conflicts depending on their digital habitat.”
As Canada approaches federal elections next year, these foreign policy questions will likely gain prominence. Political scientist Peter Donolo notes that “international affairs rarely decide Canadian elections, but these conflicts touch on identity issues that resonate deeply with voters, particularly younger ones.”
For now, the government walks a tightrope between diplomatic engagement, humanitarian aid, and military support. Canada has committed over $9 billion in various forms of assistance to Ukraine since 2022 and $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza since October 2023.
As I departed Ottawa, I couldn’t help but reflect on how these debates represent more than policy questions—they reveal a generation redefining what Canadian values mean in a fractured world. For young Canadians, peacekeeping isn’t just about troops in blue helmets; it’s about what kind of global citizen their country aspires to be.
