N force large enough to keep these borders at peace while a political settlement is being worked out" . This proposal won the Canadian minister a Nobel Peace Prize, furthermore showing how peacekeeping has improved Canada's international weight.
Consequently to Pearson's suggestion, both Britain and France requested a U.N power as a condition to a ceasefire. Again Canada took charge of the situation and Pearson submitted a plan for an "emergency international United Nations force to secure and supervise the cessation of hostiles" . From Pearson's proposition came the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), which was sent to Suez under the leadership of General Burns. However, the deployment of the UNEF caused embarrassment for Pearson and Canada because Canadian troops were unable to participate due to the uniforms of the Canadian infantry, which looked too alike to the uniforms of British soldiers . Once the UNEF entered Egypt it brought an end to the conflict and got the British and the French to withdraw from Suez.
The Suez Crisis can be seen as a United Nations victory because the UNEF was able to bring peace to the conflict, but it can additionally be viewed as a Canadian victory for the reason that it was Canada that put forward the idea for the UNEF, which Canada made up a majority of. Also, Canada led the United Nations Emergency Force into the Suez Crisis. This once more illustrates how U.N peacekeeping has contributed to Canada's international rank, because this operation allowed Canada to take a leadership position in an international calamity, which it resolved. Additionally, the Suez Crisis, along with the formation of the UNEF highlights a defining moment in Canadian policy .
The negative aspect of Canada's involvement with the UNEF was the strain it put on its ties with Great Britain. When Canada suggested the UNEF and went against the British and the French, the Brits felt betrayed by Canada.
