Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Speech on the Occasion of the Friends of Canada Dinner
Algiers, Algeria, Tuesday, November 21, 2006
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I would like to begin by thanking Ambassador Robert Peck for hosting this dinner in honour of my State visit to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.
Since my arrival, I have met with women, men and youth who are the very lifeblood of modern‑day Algeria and who are committed to rebuilding peace and security, to setting Algeria right again, and to healing the wounds suffered through the difficult years of the “decade of blood.”
Canada is delighted that Algeria has emerged from its isolation as though reborn. As I said this morning to a group of business people, Algerians know full well the price of freedom. The courage with which they continue to move forward and build solidarity, now as in the past, is a lesson for all of humanity.
You can all be proud of the efforts that the Algerian people have made since 1999 to ensure stability, encourage national reconciliation, and promote the consolidation of the rule of law and basic civil liberties. Algerians know that these conditions are vital if they are to have any hope of making progress and achieving prosperity.
Once again, I would like to underscore the strength of the ties that bind our two countries. A strength that even the worst moments of that terrible decade could not diminish. Canada remained in Algeria. And last year, we celebrated together the 40th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. The friendship between us is strong and has withstood every attack.
I can assure you, dear friends, that Canada will continue to stand by Algeria. We are convinced, as you are, that the sweeping economic and social reforms introduced in recent years are signs of hope not only for your country, but also for the entire African continent, which is so eager for a source of inspiration.
As you know, Algeria is Canada’s leading trading partner in Africa and the Middle East. The potential of this relationship can only grow in the years to come. A number of Canadian engineering firms are involved in large-scale infrastructure projects in Algeria, and they are grateful for the trust you have shown them.
And given the vast quantities of Canadian wheat consumed in Algeria over the past 35 years, you might say that the people of Algeria have been welcoming a little piece of Canada into their homes for decades.
New investment opportunities are opening up to both of our countries in such key sectors as agriculture, training and mining.
In this age of economic integration, Algeria and Canada can be proud of the partnership they have built to date.
And of course, the 50 000 Algerians living in Canada, largely in the greater Montreal area, owing to the French language we share, are no strangers to the success of that economic partnership.
The role that the Algerian diaspora is playing in solidifying the ties between our two countries is crucial, as is their invaluable contribution to Canada’s cultural enrichment. I have seen this for myself many times in Quebec.
I have no doubt that the opening of a direct air link between Algiers and Montreal in 2007 will facilitate travel between North America and North Africa. I am sure you will all agree that this is wonderful news.
The co-operation between Canada and Algeria is filled with such promise.
I sincerely hope, as I expressed this morning at the Canada-Algeria Business Forum, that this co-operation will continue to be part of and practised within an ethical framework that is respectful of the people, of their cultural diversity, and of the ecological integrity of the places where we live and draw our resources.
Allow me now a moment, as a former journalist, to applaud the recent signing of two co-operative agreements between Société Radio-Canada and Algerian Radio and Television, as well as the broadcasting training initiatives that will benefit many communities throughout Algeria.
Academic ties are also bringing us closer together. HEC Montréal, one of the largest management schools in the world, now counts a significant number of Algerian graduates, as well as professor Taïeb Hafsi, an illustrious Algerian, among the imminent members of its faculty.
There is now a network of Algerian graduates of Canadian universities that allows exchanges to continue even after the final exams have been written. The minister of State and foreign affairs, S.E. Mohamed Bédjaoui, honoured the Network’s inaugural assembly with his presence last December. Graduates include a former prime minister, former ministers, and a minister in the current government.
I am delighted to see that Algerian universities are currently working on setting up Canadian studies programs, particularly in literature and sociology, at the Université de Bouzareah and the Université d’Oran Es-Sénia.
For me, this curiosity about another’s culture is the best way to eradicate prejudice and open oneself to humanity’s most precious gifts. Artists like Alain Lefèvre, Robert Charlebois and Lynda Thalie have come to Algeria.
And tonight, we will have the pleasure of hearing the sublime voice of one of Algiers’ children, Lynda Thalie, who has put down roots on Canadian soil.
I would certainly be remiss if I did not mention the acceptance into the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal of the young pianist from Oran, Mehdi Ghazi, whose career is filled with the promise of great things to come.
I would now like to end with a wish. I am a Black Canadian woman but spent my childhood in Haiti. My parents left behind a regime of terror, where violence and injustice were a daily threat, so that their daughters could grow and thrive in freedom. I haven’t forgotten that.
I have made it my mission to defend this freedom vigilantly, wherever my travels may take me. To me, denying women, who make up more than half of the world’s population, the most basic human rights, including the right to live in security, is the most flagrant form of subjugation and one of the worst scandals of our time.
The fact that women [translation] “lower their eyes or stare off into space to communicate,” to borrow the powerful words of Assia Djebar, is a disgrace.
Earlier this afternoon, I paid tribute to my Algerian sisters for their courageous and infinitely insightful battle in the name of justice and freedom, often risking their lives. I hope that they know that their struggle goes well beyond the borders of their country, reaching out to all of humanity itself. I am deeply moved to be able to express to them publicly my admiration and affection.
Every time they spoke out, it was a call for more justice, greater truth, more respect. The battles they waged and continue to wage are essential to the rebirth of Algeria. These are the battles that define today’s vision of society, which refuses to accept such bleak disparities and instead honours human dignity.
Please allow me to offer a word of hope to Algeria’s youth. Even when the road ahead seems impassable, even when the reasons to stay seem to diminish with each passing day and leaving seems to be the only way out, I hope that they know that their country cannot move forward without them. I encourage them to do whatever they can to contribute to the betterment of us all. And I also encourage the older generations to listen to what these young people have to say and ensure that they can thrive. Because they are not only the future of Algeria; they are also its present.
I will leave you now, dear friends, with the certainty that Algeria and Canada are committed to moving forward together so that our children—girls and boys—inherit a world that we have succeeded in making better.
Thank you.
