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Consolidating Democratic Institutions in an Age of Terrorism

Remarks by the Hon. David Kilgour,

Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) and Memeber of Parliament for Edmonton Southeast,

to the Second Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies

COEX Inter-Continental Hotel

Seoul, South Korea, November 11, 2002

Recently, Emily Lau, a well-known parliamentarian in Hong Kong, quipped, “Democracy is like pregnancy: either you are or you aren’t!”

Some might argue that this is an oversimplification, but it does force contemplation of what it means to be a democratic society. Canada’s experience with democracy-building in the Commonwealth, La Francophonie, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Human Security Network, and other bodies has convinced us that there can be no single model of democracy, nor only one way to consolidate democratic institutions. All genuine democracies do, however, share two features. First, a system of universal suffrage in which one person equals one vote. Second, the ultimate form of checks and balances: the ability for people who want to change their government to do so in a peaceful, institutionalized way.

Democracy subordinates states to people: voters must own their governments, not vice versa. Genuine freedom of religion, speech, association, and assembly lie at the heart of sustainable democracies everywhere. No one put it better than Abraham Lincoln; democracy is government “of, by and for the people”.

For new and old democracies alike, empowering civil society and individual citizens of all ages and occupations is vital. Speaking to the need for public responsibility, President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, wrote:

“(We) must extricate (ourselves) from this terrible involvement in both the obvious and the hidden mechanisms of totality, from consumption to repression, from advertising to manipulation their televisions. (We) must discuss again, within (ourselves), a deeper sense of responsibility toward the world which means responsibility toward something higher than (ourselves).”

Rule of Law

A genuinely democratic nation thrives on diversity, inclusion, peaceful dissent, education for all, vibrant civil societies, NGOs, and volunteers, and the widest possible ownership of homes, farms, and enterprises, including the media. Its backbone is the rule of law - the strength of which, of course, is ultimately dependent on the legitimacy of the law maker.

Can liberty and democracy be sustained if the judiciary is not separated from the executive and legislative branches of government? How to strike a fair balance between majority rule and the protection of individual and minority rights? In Canada, we think that an independent judiciary with a constitutionally entrenched Charter of Rights, along with a real power held by judges to review laws passed by legislators is the best safeguard against potential abuses of the rights of individuals and communities. Some are so important (for example the right to practise one’s religion) as to be termed inalienable, so that removing or reducing such rights must always be beyond the reach of parliamentarians.

A democracy’s strength must be measured in terms broader than the transparency and inclusiveness of its elections. A nation’s use of the instruments to support democracy are vital as well: for example, the use of an ombudsman, ethics and privacy commissioners, truly independent commissions against corruption, committees scrutinizing regulatory measures, and more.

No Single Model

Each democracy’s use of such instruments must be observed in its own unique context. Outsiders’ efforts to be supportive of national, regional, and local initiatives to help foster democracy sometimes only play into the hands of authoritarian actors if outsiders appear ready to impose democracy by force. There are, however, instances where violations of human rights within a country grow so severe that there is a duty to intervene. Wherever possible, local actors should take the lead in resolving their own challenges. Foreigners need to be willing to listen patiently, dialogue, and provide technical advice and assistance. But we must never compromise on fundamental principles, and we must keep our actions consistent with the protection of human rights and human dignity under international law.

If there is one overriding truth about democracy, it is that it is precious, but vulnerable. The greatest threat to democracy does not always come from the barrel of a gun, but from the collected effects of poverty, apathy, and economic insecurity. It is not empty stomachs, impunity, or corruption alone that necessarily jeopardize democracy; it is their accumulated effects. For these reasons Canada remains committed to the Human Security Network, the International Criminal Court and other bodies seeking to return power to the powerless.

Democracy and Terrorism

Two goals which our contemporary totalitarians -terrorists- now often share are an obsession with weakening confidence in democratic governments and dividing national communities. In Canada, we are more determined than ever since the events of 9/11 to hold to our multicultural and non-violent values.

Is respecting human rights and the dignity of all persons in a post-9/11 world not more important than ever for democracies across the world?

We must as democratic governments also do much more together to alleviate world poverty, especially for children who lack proper food, water, and education; reduce trafficking in light weapons; bring terrorists and others who commit “crimes against humanity” to justice, find peaceful solutions to intra-state conflicts, and more. Democracy can be strengthened by ensuring rights and freedom for all - protecting human security for each of the over six billion people on this planet has never been more important.

Finally, this is Remembrance Day on the calendar in Canada, when most Canadians wear poppies out of respect for those of our fellow citizens who died in wars fought mostly for democracy – including the Korean war.

The poppy was adopted from a poem, “In Flanders Fields” written by a Canadian, John McCrae, during World War I in Europe.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow,

Between the crosses, row on row…

To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 

 
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