‘New Way of Peacekeeping’ Will Curb Use of Child Soldiers, Says Dallaire

Canadian army is preparing new training programs to include the tactics from the Vancouver Principles

Retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire, founder of the Child Soldiers Initiative, addresses former child soldiers in Pibor, South Sudan, in 2015. Photo by Josh Boyter

Despite critics lambasting Ottawa’s plan to spread out Canada’s peacekeeping military and police resources over the next five years, retired lieutenant-general and former senator Romeo Dallaire says the plan will make Canada a world leader in ending the use of child soldiers in war.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver last week that Canada would not be committing the 600 military troops and 150 police officers it pledged last year for U.N. peacekeeping missions.