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‘‘Canadians are being very brave going ahead of the mob,” Mr. Mayall said. However, “this is also a diplomatic association and so it raises the question, as in all such things, what good is done by, as it were, moral posturing when you can’t actually do anything?”

Sri Lanka may not live by the ideals set out by the Commonwealth charter, but participation in the group might do more good than outright boycotts, the professor suggested.

For its part, the Sri Lankan government in Colombo has suggested Canada is merely pandering to domestic audiences by taking such a stand. Sri Lanka’s minister of external affairs, Gamini Lakshman Peiris, has reportedly condemned Canada’s attempts to “politicize the Commonwealth.”

Does that mean the Commonwealth is powerless?

Unlike the United Nations, the Commonwealth does not possess any way to sanction misbehaving member states by force. However, Mr. Mayall said it can be a powerful diplomatic force.

During a Commonwealth summit in Vancouver in the late ‘80s, for example, Australia and Canada joined with smaller nations to effectively gang up on British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s reluctance to place economic sanctions on Apartheid South Africa.

“Thatcher, in Vancouver, found herself totally isolated for the first time from the old dominions,” he said. “That pincer movement worked quite effectively; Thatcher was able to bring more pressure to bear on the South African apartheid government to modify their position.”

The weight of global opinion was turning against South Africa at that point, he said, but “the timing was important.”

The Commonwealth’s structure also ensures that smaller states get a say in international politics and, Mr. Mayall added, Canada has been quite diligent in advocating for the needs of smaller nations.

If you use the current international diplomatic jargon, you would say it’s a very good vehicle for soft power

So, what does Canada get out of being a part of this, anyway?

“You have to think reputationally,” Mr. Mayall said. “If you use the current international diplomatic jargon, you would say it’s a very good vehicle for soft power.”

The Commonwealth gives Canada access and influence in diplomatic circles for a relatively small cost. The organization also allows Canada to chart a course independent of the United States, he added.

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