The United Nations was founded in 1945 as an intergovernmental organization.  Its mandate is to maintain international peace and security, uphold human rights, and foster economic development. It is an organization with nations dealing with nations and big bureaucracies dealing with big bureaucracies. As a result, there will be political influences and alliances. The UN cannot relate to the problems of a small business on a localized level.

On the other hand, social entrepreneurs and the ARC Initiative are not big government bureaucracies.  Therefore, they are not influenced by political agendas or alliances. They work at the grassroots level with small businesses such as Salem’s Ethiopia Craft Boutique and Shega Shero Eatery.  These small businesses would never hit the radar of the United Nations, but are the exact type of businesses that will foster sustainability and self sufficiency for developing countries.  By providing micro-financing and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and business skills, such initiatives are building a better, sustainable world. By providing ARC participants with hands on experience in the real working environment, it truly is a mutually beneficial partnership that will grow.  The UN will never replace the indispensable role of social enterprise and ARC because it does not see the potential in small businesses and does not share the same vision and entrepreneurial spirit.

Canada’s greatest asset is our natural resources.  Mining, agriculture, fishery, oil and gas, account for practically all of Canada’s exports.  The biggest challenge for the resource industry is extraction and delivery of its products to the final users.  Logistics is critical to its success.  This is why the proposed pipelines are so important to the oil industry.  With the Keystone XL and Northern Gateway pipeline projects in limbo, the oil companies are looking to alternative avenues and markets.  Exporting to Europe and Asia provides market diversification.  Supply and demand is a factor.  With shortage of oil in Europe and Asia, oil commands higher international prices.

 

It is ironic that our oil is shipped to Europe and Asia through the United States.  Without pipelines in Canada, oil companies are utilizing American pipelines to ship oil to tankers located in Southeast USA and hauled to Europe. This process actually increases the carbon footprint and is more harmful to the global environment.  If environmentalists are truly concerned, they need to think more globally than that of the local environment.  By protecting the local environment, we potentially put the global environment at risk.  The world is getting smaller and the global environment is our back yard.  Reducing our carbon footprint will ensure long-term sustainability.