Bob Rae, on his last day at the UN, says: ‘I think I helped make a difference’

LISTEN | Full interview with Bob Rae: As It Happens 15:53 Bob Rae, on his last day at the UN, says: ‘I think I helped make a difference’

When Bob Rae first took up his post as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations in 2020, much of the world was still in lockdown because of the global pandemic.

That would prove to be just the first of several world-changing events that would unfold during his tenure — including the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Hamas attacks on Israel, and Israel’s subsequent siege and bombardment of Gaza.

All the while, the organization has faced criticism, especially from U.S. President Donald Trump , for its inability to maintain peace.

Rae has his own gripes about the United Nations , but at the end of the