1. By: Wendi-Lee Punchak & Jessica Chung

2. The Canal The Suez Canal is located in the country of Egypt and allows passage of ships between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. This canal is very important for ships travelling from Europe to many countries such as India and Saudi Arabia. The canal eliminates having to travel extra miles around the horn of Africa.

3. Who Owns The Canal? During the mid-1950’s the canal was run and owned by Great Britain and France. In 1956, Egyptian leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, took control of the canal. He affirmed to be taking hold of the canal because Britain and France had refused to support building a dam on the Nile River. Many countries leaders found Nasser actions bothersome because Nasser was overly friendly with the Soviet Union. Leaders believed Nasser’s actions had been encouraged by the Soviet Union.

4. United Nations & The Canal The Suez crisis was the first major challenge for the United Nations. Canadians feared that if the United Nations failed, the world would no longer be safe. The Suez Crisis was developing quickly when Egyptian leader Nasser seized control of the Suez Canal. This tense crisis took a turn for the worst when Great Britain, France and Israel organized an attack on Egypt. Nasser decided to team up with the Soviet Union leader Khrushchev who threatened to use nuclear weapons towards the west, if Egypt’s enemies did not renounce.

5. Canadians Helping Out Canada stepped forward to offer a solution to this Suez crisis. The man that offered a solution was Lester B. Pearson, a diplomat for the Canadian government. Lester B. Pearson proposed that Britain and France withdraw from Egypt and to make sure the crisis did not continue, Lester suggested that the United Nations force be sent to Egypt to continue the peace. This resulted in the first international peacekeeping force sent by the United Nations. The United Nations force remained in the area of Egypt for the next ten years until 1967.

6. Canadians Continue To Help Pearson, because of his quick thinking solution, won a prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Pearson later becomes leader of the Liberal Part of Canada, and then in 1963 was elected Prime Minister. He succeeded in helping Canada’s peacekeeping mission grow and blossom.