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The common sense of mankind demands that the law shall not stop with the punishment of petty crimes by little people. It must also reach men who possess themselves of great power and make deliberate and concerted use of it to set in motion evils which leave no home in the world untouched. ucts of colonialism but that does not change the history or the fact that we have a huge amount in common with the rest of the world as we all try to determine and deal with the price of that common experience. And so, while the illegal invasion of Ukraine and the horrific suffering which has resulted is top of mind, there are still broader global challeng- es: aggression, conflict, lies, disinformation, climate change, deep poverty, growing inequality, and the ongoing threat of pandemics and health chal- lenges, are just a few of the pervasive issues which cannot be addressed effectively by one nation, alone. Politicians who understand that fact still find it to be a tough message to deliver. Returning to nationalism is not the solution. Some of the basic lessons learned in primary school about thinking of others and “playing well” are the only realistic approach. Ambassador Rae reminded us that the main problem with international law is that enforcement is weak and uneven. And the primary targets of that needed enforcement are countries who believe they are different or exceptional and the rules do not apply to them. But the rules do apply and they must. Ambassador Rae quoted Nurem- berg Prosecutor, United States Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson: Ambassador Rae cautioned the audience that in thinking about the law, we cannot confine ourselves to what is happening in our own countries. If we are going to deal with the nature of modern conflict today, both in- ternal to countries and between countries, we need to understand that the architecture of international law, “the cathedral...that we have been trying to build brick by brick” only works if we succeed in enforcing it. The Ambassador urged the United States to ratify the Rome Statute creat- ing the International Criminal Court, which was signed by President Clin- ton years ago. Both that Court and the International Court of Justice are the key places where issues of genocide and war crimes are addressed. Vice President Kamala Harris recently made the point that the United States cannot look aside when children are stolen away, sexual violence is used as a tool of war, soldiers are tortured and thousands are killed. The Vice Pres- ident is correct, in Rae’s view; effective enforcement of international laws cannot occur without the full participation of a superpower such as the United States. Canada is doing whatever it can, but it is not a superpower and cannot have the same impact on a global scale. It is trite to say that the vicious war against Ukraine has had a dramatic impact on that country. And while it has also had tremen- dous repercussions for the global communi- ty, the war itself is not seen in the same way everywhere. Those countries which were al- ready devastated by the impacts of climate change, the pandemic, and longstanding and worsening inequality, rightfully think that the Ukraine war is receiving undue at- tention. Their response is to abstain from participating in the global efforts to achieve justice. The Ambassador maintains that those countries must be convinced to par- ticipate. In this vein, he also commented on the adverse effects of the extensive lies, disinformation and propaganda which are being disseminated broadly through social media. We live in a world where it is hard for people to pay attention in general, and therefore we must find ways to get and keep their attention on the need for glob- al solidarity and not just on their own im- mediate (and often impulsive) self-interest. By establishing a long-term, consequential understanding that self-interest and global interest go together, we will be in a position to meaningfully advance international law. Above all, humanity has to recognize our fundamental equality. The common quest for equality reflects what is best about both Canada and the United States. Ambassador Rae concluded with his final message: Jus- tice is the essential foundation for peace and for reconciliation. Michelle C. Awad, K.C. Halifax, NS 33 JOURNAL