I would like to thank the chairs of today's event -- Stephen Victor, Donald Carr and Stephen Lipper -- for inviting me to make this address. I am very honoured to speak to you at the 16th Policy Conference of the Canada-Israel Committee [CIC].

This conference comes at an important time: a time of evolution in world affairs; a time of brighter prospects for achieving lasting, comprehensive peace in the Middle East; a time of stronger opportunities for Canadian-Israeli partnership in promoting both security and peace.

In international relations, we have seen a dramatic shift: the security and rights of people have become crucial to world stability and peace. The most dispiriting reality is just how vulnerable they remain.

I read recently how Isaiah Berlin "deeply believed that the concentration camps offered the most conclusive justification ever for the necessity of a universal moral law" and how the abominations of the Second World War reinforced his view that the primary duty of any politics whatever was "to avoid extremes of suffering."

The darker forces of human nature and of global life today -- the violence, the brutality, the destruction -- make clear that, despite the passage of time, the need to develop universal norms to defend and protect people and the need for global action to avoid the "extremes of human suffering" remain undiminished.

In response to this reality, and in the spirit of Berlin's observations, Canada has been pursuing an approach that promotes human security. It is a way of putting the safety of people first -- by developing standards, formulating law, entrenching practice, consolidating coalitions and building institutions -- that makes human security a central priority.

The campaign to ban landmines is perhaps the best-known example of human security in action. Originating with ordinary people, this effort galvanized support of other people around the world to eliminate a weapon designed to maim and kill the innocent. The result was the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines.

And the fact is, the Convention is making a real difference to the safety of people: millions of mines have been destroyed, production and export have declined and, most important, victim rates have dropped.

There are other examples. In armed conflict, some suffer more than others. The situation of war-affected children -- young people killed, disabled, orphaned, displaced, traumatized or forced into military servitude -- is not only tragic but nothing short of a global shame.

However, here too there is growing momentum for international action. In January, a Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child was concluded, addressing the involvement of children in armed conflict. In April, Canada and Ghana will host a conference on war-affected children in West Africa to catalyse regional efforts there.

And in September, Canada will chair an international conference on war-affected children. In the spirit of the landmines campaign, this is an effort to bring together like-minded governments, international organizations and civil society to formulate a comprehensive, global plan of action.

When Canada started a two-year term on the Security Council last year, our aim was to make it more responsive to human security concerns, especially the appalling human cost of modern armed conflict.

Partly as a result of Canada's presence, the Council is listening more directly to the voices of human suffering. From Sierra Leone to East Timor, it is taking concrete and unprecedented action to protect civilians in armed conflict. In other words, the Council is becoming more relevant to the security concerns of people.

In April, when Canada holds the presidency of the Council, we intend to consolidate this progress. We plan to use the opportunity to reinforce Council action protecting civilians in conflict. We also want the Council to re-examine the use of sanctions regimes and address the impact of the new war economies.

Many of you have a personal connection to the horror and pain of the Shoa [Holocaust of WWII]. We vowed that these atrocities would never be repeated. But more than a half century later, the record is abysmal: Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Rwandan genocidaires, savage brutality in the Balkans. The ineffectiveness of the Security Council -- the custodian of peace and security -- has been especially glaring.

The time has come for a full examination of how and when the Council should intervene in situations of massive and systematic violations of humanitarian law and human rights. Canada will press for this in April. We owe it both to past victims and future generations to give real meaning to the pledge "never again."

It was the Nuremburg Trials, another, more positive legacy of WW II, that fifty years on has helped pave the way for the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Agreement to establish the Court is a milestone achievement in promoting human security. The Court will hold accountable those responsible for the most serious violations of humanitarian and human rights law.

Even though the ICC is not yet operational, other developments indicate that attitudes are changing about ending the culture of impunity. In this regard, General Pinochet's detention is but the most vivid example.

And here at home, in December I and my colleague, the Minister of Justice, tabled legislation that not only will allow Canada to ratify and implement the ICC Statute, but will also improve the effectiveness of our laws relating to the prosecution of war criminals in Canada. And in the process, this legislation is being used as a model for other countries.

Together, all of these developments demonstrate how Canada is pursuing human security.

Perhaps more importantly, they also reflect a shift in global thinking about the importance of human security in world affairs, and a growing willingness by the international community to take action. Clearly, the human security approach is not free of obstacles, or critics, or those who oppose it for a myriad of reasons, but it undeniably has momentum.

From the landmines campaign to reform of the Security Council, to issues relating to war-affected children and the creation of the ICC, in every case advancing human security means forging new coalitions around issues of common concern.

Just as important, it means giving new vitality and meaning to enduring partnerships, such as the one between Canada and Israel.

Since Canada's recognition of Israel, co-operation between our countries has gone from strength to strength. Prime Minister Chretien's visit next month will provide ample evidence that this is so.

On the commercial side, the surge in contacts underlines how our economic interests coincide in a global economy. The recent agreement expanding air links between our countries will further consolidate not only economic but social ties.

Similarly, we see increased convergence in matters of peace and stability. This applies to issues and institutions of global concern, such as the promotion of human rights, the fight against terrorism and the pursuit of renewal at the UN. It applies as well to efforts to build a lasting, comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Both globally and regionally, Canada and Israel share many interests.

They are interests on which we are finding new ways to co-operate -- interests that, fundamentally, revolve around the security of people.

The basis for human security is the full respect for human rights. A crucial part of that is freedom of religion. It goes to the core of a person's belief and identity. A society's respect for religious expression is a measure of its commitment to tolerance and a yardstick of its capacity to accommodate difference. On the other hand, religious intolerance has been and is a source of conflict, violence and suffering.

Accordingly, protecting and advancing freedom of religion is an intrinsic part of our human security agenda.

That is why the arrest last year of 13 members of the Iranian Jewish community is a matter of considerable mutual concern. And that is why Canada has been active in efforts to ensure that their rights are protected.

Obtaining a just and rapid resolution of this situation is a priority on our bilateral agenda. I first raised this issue with the Iranian Foreign Minister in September. Today a letter from me to my Iranian counterpart has been delivered, officially requesting that the trial be open and in accordance with internationally recognized standards of due process. I have also requested that observers be permitted to attend the proceedings.

Canada and Israel will continue to co-operate in this matter and doubtless in other situations where human rights, including religious freedom, are at risk.

Surely one of the gravest threats to the rights, safety and security of people is terrorism.

Israelis know too well its direct and deadly consequences. Canadians have not been spared its often indiscriminate impact. One of my first tasks as Foreign Affairs Minister was to deal with the death of a young Canadian couple in Paris, killed by a terrorist bomb. More recent events here at home have brought the threat into even sharper focus.

A concerted, global approach is needed to develop tools for addressing the threats and also to harness the will to take action. Canada and Israel have worked together to these ends.

The international community has worked together to combat terrorism. Twelve international counter-terrorism conventions, as well as the 1994 UN Declaration on Measures to Eliminate Terrorism, have been signed.

Canada is working with our G-8 partners to urge universal ratification of these conventions and adherence to them. This would be a major step forward in efforts to combat international terrorism.

Canada has also taken the lead in the negotiation of the two most recent conventions relating to the suppression of terrorist bombings and financing.

Last month in New York, I was pleased to sign the Terrorist Financing Convention on behalf of Canada. The Convention will strengthen the power of the international community to block terrorists' sources of financial support. This will make Canada's already-vigorous counter-terrorism program even more effective.

Promoting human security involves adapting our shared institutions to changing global realities. This means taking new attitudes and updating approaches -- as Canada is seeking to do at the Security Council. It also means fully including the voices and views of those left out in the past.

In that regard, Canada has been a strong supporter of Israel in international organizations. At the United Nations, we have worked to ensure that Israel can play its rightful role throughout the Organization. Canada has actively campaigned for Israel's inclusion in the WEOG [Western Europe and Others Grouping], and we will continue to do so.

At the same time, Canada and Israel are co-operating outside the UN. In Guatemala, we are working together with local authorities in the area of mine victim rehabilitation. This is an interesting and innovative way of pooling skills and resources to help others.

Our co-operation on global issues and at global forums is certainly matched by partnership in the Middle East region -- particularly in efforts to establish lasting peace and advance human security.

In the current context of the Middle East peace process, the human security agenda has much relevance. Israeli leaders have made a clear decision to reach the agreements needed to bring durable peace to the region -- agreements that will ensure the dignity of all the region's peoples while protecting the security of Israel.

I believe Prime Minister Barak and others are seeking not simply an end to conflict but a peace that ensures the security of individuals. We commend the brave steps being taken, including the decision by the Israeli cabinet to withdraw from Lebanon by July.

Without doubt, the responsibility for sustainable peace lies with those directly concerned. The focus must remain on direct negotiations.

However, an effective multilateral track can contribute by building trust and confidence among the parties. And sooner or later the international community will be called on to help in the implementation of peace agreements.

Canada is actively involved in these efforts. As Gavel of the Refugee Working Group [RWG], Canada has provided a forum -- sometimes the only one -- where Israeli and Arab officials meet to discuss issues that are central to achieving a lasting peace.

We have used our role at the RWG to help address the pressing humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees, through concrete projects relating to family reunification, education and support for UNRWA [the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East].

At this critical juncture in the peace process, we will continue to play a positive role by contributing to an environment in which there can be progress towards a just and durable resolution of the Palestinian refugee question. Of course, the primary responsibility for reaching a solution must remain with the parties concerned.

Canadians strongly believe in dialogue as a means for people to learn about different cultures, beliefs and attitudes, and as a way to advance peace and understanding. Since 1993, the Canada Fund for Dialogue and Development has supported proposals in which Arab and Israeli organizations are involved in common actions with the purpose of building confidence.

The Fund has worked on projects in diverse areas: peace and development, good governance, democratic development, refugees, environment, water resources, regional economic development, and tourism. The people-to-people contacts at the core of these projects are vital in building trust and eliminating misconceptions.

The projects we have undertaken through the Fund complement and reinforce our efforts in the multilateral process. One organization with which Canada is very pleased to be associated through the Canada Fund for Dialogue and Development is the Peres Centre for Peace.

Shimon Peres, whom you will hear from later today, understands the rewards that will come with a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. I salute his continuing efforts as Minister for Regional Co-operation, and those of the Peres Centre for Peace.

We have been pursuing other innovative ways to promote human security in the region. For example, Canada, Israel, Jordan and Norway are co-operating in a mine clearance project in the Jordan Valley. The project aims to make the Jordan Valley a mine-free zone this year.

We believe that we can now go even further because the countries of the region themselves are taking courageous steps to consolidate peace. It is for that reason that we have been working with regional partners, including Israel, on the idea of moving the peace process from paper to people.

We are planning to establish a regional security centre in Amman, Jordan, where the countries -- and, more importantly, the people -- of the region can, together, define their regional human security priorities and establish enduring relationships, contacts and co-operation amongst the diverse communities who must work together to build true human security in this region.

Using the centre as a focal point, we hope to bring together a wide range of people -- from all professions and walks of life to work on joint projects, to engage in skills training and for dialogue and practical co-operation - to position them, their communities and their countries for peace.

The human security agenda is not just government policy. It is an approach that should involve Canadians from all walks of life -- and it has done so. But involving them requires the focus, energy, attention and contribution of people such as yourselves.

We have seen what can be achieved when government and civil society work together.

Effective co-operation depends on fresh ideas and innovative methods by both. That is why I am committed to reaching out and encouraging the participation of civil society in Canada's engagement with the world.

Co-operation also depends on a willingness of government, civil society and NGOs [non-governmental organizations] alike to re-assess priorities in the face of changing circumstances.

Since its inception, the Canada-Israel Committee has forged links between Canadians and Israelis. In that respect, it has served a useful advocacy role.

As we seek to address the challenges I have laid out this afternoon, there is scope for the CIC, like other NGOs, to be more directly involved in moving forward human security initiatives and co-operation. I would welcome the opportunity to work with you in channeling CIC attention, effort and action to this end, in particular in efforts to bringing lasting peace to the Middle East.

It was another Isaiah, Mr. Berlin's biblical namesake, whose vision of peace still provides inspiration:

"In that day there shall be a highway from Egypt to Assyria; the Assyrian will come to Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel shall be a third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth which the Lord of hosts has blessed saying: Blessed be My people Egypt, and Assyria the work of My hands and Israel, My inheritance."

Canada and Israel are strong partners. As Israel takes bold steps toward realizing this vision, to establishing peace in the new millennium, it can count on continued Canadian support and friendship.

I appreciate the CIC's contribution to this relationship and am pleased to have had the opportunity of sharing my thoughts with you today.

Thank you.

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