SPEECHES
August 18, 2005
EDMONTON, Alberta
2005/30
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NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY
THE HONOURABLE PIERRE PETTIGREW,
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
AT A MEETING OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
ON CANADA-ARAB RELATIONS
Thank you for this opportunity to meet with you, in what I hope will be a continuing
dialogue with members of Canadian Muslim communities here in Edmonton and across
the country.
I would like to speak to you today about three things.
First and foremost, I want to speak to you about the important contributions of
Canadian Muslims in shaping and building our country.
Second, I want to address the lessons we are learning about our shared interest in
ensuring security in today’s world, particularly in light of the recent succession of
terrorist attacks that began on September 11, 2001, and that continued in London on
July 7, 2005.
Third, and finally, I wish to speak about some of the ways in which the federal
government is reaching out to Muslim communities in Canada and elsewhere.
Contributions of Canadian Muslims in building Canada
Let me begin by saying that over the last several years, I have come to understand and
appreciate how many of the principles of Islam are embodied in the values of Canada.
Islam, as we all know, is a faith of peace, of tolerance, of intellectual search. It is a way
of life that enjoins people to be compassionate with one another, to seek knowledge
and to build societies in harmony with others.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is an example to us all. His example of
integrity, loyalty, honesty, generosity (both of means and of time), his concern for the
poor, the weak and the sick, his steadfastness in friendship, his humility in success, his
simplicity, his wisdom in conceiving new solutions for problems that could not be solved
by traditional methods—surely all these are principles that make our country stronger.
In fact, the Muslim communities in this country have a particularly rich history that is a
source of pride for Canada.
The Muslim community is one of Canada’s oldest established communities and the
source of many notable accomplishments. Indeed, the first Muslim to be born in
Canada was born in 1854, 13 years before Canada itself was born. North America’s
first mosque—the Al-Rashid Mosque, right here in Edmonton—was built in 1938.
Canada’s first Muslim Cabinet member, Larry Chabin, was appointed in Alberta, in the
1980s.
Today, Islam is Canada’s second-largest—and fastest-growing—religion. Canadians of
Asian and Middle Eastern descent are two of the fastest-growing sectors of our society,
contributing to a doubling of the Canadian Muslim population in the last decade. Our
great country is now home to more than 600,000 Canadian Muslims, over 30,000 of
whom live here in Edmonton. And Canada’s Muslim population is projected to double
again, to reach 1.2 million, in the next 10 years or so.
As Muslims, you are among the best-educated Canadians: over 20 percent of members
of the Canadian Muslim community possess a post-secondary education, and more
than 1.5 percent hold a doctoral degree, a proportion much higher than the Canadian
average.
This has allowed Canadian Muslims to lead in all aspects of society—as successful
businessmen and businesswomen, as renowned scholars and journalists, as members
of both provincial and federal parliaments, as diplomats, and of course as devout and
well-respected civic and religious leaders. You are among those leading this country,
ensuring that Canada continues to develop in every sense of the word.
It is also worth noting that Canada is home to some of the world’s best-known Islamic
institutions and scholars. In Montreal, where I live, McGill University’s Institute of Islamic
Studies (established in 1951) is an international magnet that draws some of the world’s
most-respected Islamic scholars. And the Aga Khan recently announced a plan to build
a Global Centre for Pluralism—essentially a large think-tank devoted to research and
education on pluralism—in Ottawa. The Government of Canada has pledged a
contribution of $30 million toward this project.
This project is important in helping to address one of the lessons from the attacks of
September 11, 2001: that the causes of extremism are linked to issues of good
governance, of participation in society and of human rights. The Pluralism Centre will
address some of these issues.
The lessons of September 11, 2001
The events of September 11 brought home a sobering fact: we cannot continue to
enjoy security and prosperity at home without regard for the state of the rest of the
world. It is true that poverty does not by itself lead to terrorism, that democracy does not
guarantee good governance and that education does not rule out ignorance. But it is
equally true that the societies where governments are unable to create gainful work,
allow freedom of expression, or provide equality of opportunity and decent education
are societies that create the dismal mix of conditions that incubate violence. Addressing
these challenges in order to prevent extremism is important.
I should note that Canada has long held the view that religion is not the cause of
extremism but that, to serve their ends, people who are extremists distort religion and
exploit vulnerabilities in societies and individuals. Extremists use religion as a cover to
incite violence and hatred in order to further a political cause.
But true Muslims everywhere have spoken strongly against these acts of violence.
Muslim organizations and many individual Muslims here in Canada have made clear
their outrage at the use of violence.
I am mindful, in particular, of the emphasis that Islam places on peace, and that there is
no place in the Ummah [community of Muslims] for those who commit acts of violence,
particularly those who claim to commit these acts in the name of faith. I am also keenly
aware that the Qur'an teaches “...that whosoever takes a life, it shall be as if he had
killed all mankind, and whosoever saveth a life, it shall be as if he had saved the life of
all mankind.” (5:32).
At the same time, we must continue to combat terrorists directly. That is why Canada is
an active participant in the global response to terrorism. However, while there is a
military component to counterterrorism, as demonstrated by our continued contributions
in Afghanistan, it is not the principal element of the Canadian effort and should not be
the defining element in the international response to terrorism.
This means, quite simply, focusing our diplomatic and development resources to better
understand the dynamics of the Muslim world and the needs of developing societies. It
also means focusing our efforts on good governance and economic development as the
long-term solution to preventing extremism, whether in the Muslim world or elsewhere.
The lessons of July 7, 2005
We are all still trying to assess the implications of the bombings in London last month.
The newspapers are filled with editorials on what causes young men—many of them
born in the West—to commit such terrorist acts. This debate will continue and I would
like to hear from you on this.
But it is already clear that the role of the state and of its citizens should be to work
together to prevent the forces that incubate extremism.
What do I mean by this?
• Helping all citizens to feel part of Canadian society and to embrace a shared
identity is increasingly important. The Government of Canada will continue to
invest in strengthening our sense of shared citizenship to ensure that everyone
has an equal opportunity to contribute to our society and to benefit from it.
• We will need to continue to promote a national community that fosters the
economic, social, political and cultural integration of all Canadians, with a focus
on new Canadians and visible minorities.
• We need to work together to continue to foster an environment where Canadians
of all backgrounds can enjoy common values and be equal stakeholders in the
prosperity and security of our land.
Canada is a country of inclusion. With this as a backdrop, we have a robust legislative
framework that should help us to ensure that alienation and isolation do not create the
conditions that allow extremists to prey on the vulnerable in our societies.
The Canadian model of multiculturalism has served us well in the past. It has fostered
harmony, cross-cultural understanding and respect. In this regard, it can be very
effective for us, and we can build on its successes while managing its challenges. It is
also a model that we can offer to others seeking an end or an alternative to civil or
ethnic conflict. Your community plays a key role in maintaining the success and
development of this model of multiculturalism.
Outreach to Muslim communities
And let’s be honest with one another: the events of September 11, 2001, and July 7,
2005, have highlighted the need to better understand Muslim communities. That is why
I am here today. I have made a personal commitment to do just that and have benefited
tremendously from my various meetings with Muslim community leaders in my own
riding in Montreal, across Canada and abroad.
In my meetings with the head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, I reiterated
my commitment to working with the Islamic world and to building a common
understanding. I also underlined the importance of building strong intellectual and social
links with the cultures of the Islamic world.
In this regard, I am encouraged by the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security created
last year under Canada’s National Security Policy to engage in a long-term dialogue on
matters related to national security. It aims to facilitate a broad exchange of information
between the federal government and diverse communities—including the Muslim
community—on the impact of national security issues.
The Roundtable also serves to better inform policy makers by providing insights on how
national security measures may impact Canada’s diverse communities and by
promoting the protection of civil order, mutual respect and common understanding.
The Roundtable works with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness—Edmonton’s own Anne McLellan—and the Minister of
Justice, Irwin Cotler. The Minister of State (Multiculturalism), Raymond Chan,
participates in this roundtable at the invitation of colleagues.
The Roundtable is currently composed of 15 members of Canada’s ethno-cultural and
religious communities, and it is chaired by Zaheer Lakhani from Edmonton.
At Foreign Affairs Canada we have formed a Working Group on Relations with Muslim
Communities. It is creating a framework for the department on relations with Muslim
communities and is undertaking outreach and partnership-building activities.
It now operates a dialogue series between Muslim scholars and Canada’s diplomatic
corps and other government officials. Akbar Ahmed, Imam Tariq Ramadan, and
Gilles Kepel have been some of the guests in the program.
This working group is also creating a course on Muslim civilization for Canadian
diplomats. This is an important point—that the emphasis will be on Muslim civilization
rather than on contemporary political issues or religion only. I believe strongly that no
community can be defined simply by its religion or politics.
The working group is also coordinating with our embassies to reach out to Muslim
communities by, for example, expanding our support for reformers in Muslim societies
and finding ways to assist their work.
In essence, our approach emphasizes the need to understand better, to focus on
improving conditions in vulnerable societies and, above all, to work in partnership with
Muslim communities.
This is very much part of the implementation of Canada’s International Policy
Statement, which was tabled in Parliament on April 19, 2005.
Conclusion
Our discussion today is therefore a part of a process of consultation, collaboration and
learning. After all, this is your country every bit as much as it is mine, and we need to
work together to keep Canada safe and prosperous.
As we reaffirm our place as the world’s greatest example of pluralism, I am confident
that your values, the values that represent Canada, will help to outline to the world that
the all-encompassing unity of Islam is reflected in Canada, every day, in your actions
and in the commitment you have shown to your country.
We may have different perspectives to offer, but our values and objectives are the
same: to enhance our prosperity and ensure our security while preserving our sense of
individual and collective identity.
I am confident that, together, we can do it.
Thank you.
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