Canada
and the United Nations
Remarks by the Hon. David Kilgour, P.C.,
M.P
Secretary
of State, Latin America and Africa &
M.P. for Edmonton Southeast
To the United
Nations Association in Canada, Calgary Branch
Devonian
Gardens, Calgary
October 20th,
2001
Thank you
for inviting me to celebrate here with you
today. Merci de m’avoir invitee. Gracias
por la invitacion.
The United
Nations is part of the DNA of Canadians.
Our involvement
has shaped so much of our past:
·
Former Prime Minister and Nobel Prize winner,
Lester Pearson, played a central role in
the creation of United Nations peacekeeping.
Canada is renowned for our leadership as
peacekeepers throughout the world. We have
been involved in almost every U.N. peacekeeping
mission.
·
Through the UN, Canadian police have played
key roles in stabilizing countries such
as Bosnia and Haiti by training local police.
·
Canada has led by example in its support
of nuclear, chemical, and biological disarmament.
·
We have worked to save millions of lives
by immunizing children, providing safe drinking
water, eradicating the threat of small pox
and limiting or eliminating other health
threats like polio.
·
And in keeping with Canadian John Humphreys'
vision as one of the principal drafters
of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, Canada
has promoted the rights of people throughout
the world and has encouraged their governments
to protect them.
These events,
these people, this leadership - they have
shaped not only the way that others see
us, but the way that we see ourselves.
As we congratulated
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the
UN group of organizations on its well-deserved
Nobel Peace Prize, Canadians also felt pride
in our role in helping the United Nations
to accomplish its noble objectives.
State of
the World
September
11th launched our world into a new crisis.
In many places, divisions between peoples
have been heightened as forces of chaos
and terror have further spread their ignorance.
So to whom
do Canadians turn to encourage peaceful
dialogue between nations?
Who will
be there to promote peace and security for
all peoples?
Who advocates
respect for the rule of law and human rights?
Who champions
humanitarian needs and takes solid action
to help meet them?
Canadians
trust the United Nations.
In remarks
congratulating the UN and Secretary General
Kofi Annan on its 2001 Nobel Peace Prize,
Prime Minister Jean Chretien said:
"As
the world enters into one of its greatest
struggles, we can only find comfort in the
knowledge that the United Nations, its staff
and chief officer have been honoured as
ambassadors of peace. More than ever, we
will need their dedication, competence and
humanity to guide and inspire us all."
Over the
past several years, the International pendulum
has swung towards increased independence
and isolationism, September 11th sent us
all back in the other direction.
Multilateralism,
interdependence, and genuine cooperation
are not luxuries - they are necessities.
We are now more aware than ever of the common
future that we share with all members the
international community.
What now?
This is no
time to be intimidated. Canada, both as
an independent nation and as a member of
the United Nations family, is facing some
difficult challenges:
·
We must work to prevent further terrorist
activities by continuing to take an active
role in the international coalition against
terrorism; This can be done not only through
military assistance, but through freezing
terrorist assets, sharing intelligence information,
and continuing international cooperation
to bring terrorists to justice and address
the root causes of their hatred;
·
We must balance immediate humanitarian implications
with the responsibility to seek justice
and prevent more terror.
And so far
- we have;
Canada has
provided a total of $16 Million in emergency
assistance to Afghanistan since September
11th. These funds help provide food aid,
shelter, and basic health care to Afghan
refugees and internally displaced persons.
·
We must not forget the people of Afghanistan
in the months and years to come. We have,
and we will continue to work closely with
the United Nations as it turns its attention
towards planning and developing scenarios
related to reconstruction over the long
term.
Equally important,
we must remember our priorities:
·
We must forge ahead with 'the Year of Africa'.
Next year's
G8 meetings - which as you know will be
held just down the highway from here - must
and will focus on Africa.
·
We must work to reduce endemic poverty and
massive global inequalities in the distribution
of wealth.
·
We must halt the deadly wrath of AIDS throughout
the continent.
We must
create a culture of conflict prevention.
·Finally,
we must help Africans to help themselves.
These were
Canadian and UN priorities prior to September
11th, and they continue to be priorities
today.
It will not
be politicians and diplomats alone who will
make these things happen.
Organizations
such as the United Nations Association of
Canada will have a very important role to
play. We need the support of Canadians such
as yourselves: Canadians with love for their
country, compassion and respect for people
all over the world, and a passion for taking
action. They will be done also by volunteers.
Steve Mason,
the Executive Director of the United Nations
Association in Canada, described the situation
well. He explained that "A common line
in recent media coverage is to refer to
the United Nations as an independent entity.
It is not. For better or for worse, the
UN is the sum of its parts."
Ladies and
gentlemen, as Canadians, as volunteers,
and as activists, we are all a part of this
UN family.
On behalf
of the Government of Canada, I thank you
for your contributions, and I join with
you in celebrating both United Nations Day
and the International Year of the Volunteer.
\
Merci, gracias,
thank you.
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