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<html> <head> <meta name="generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 10"> <meta http-equiv="content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <style> p { margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1px } body { font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal } </style> </head> <body> November 5, 2006 TORONTO, Ontario 2006/20 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE PETER MACKAY, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF THE ATLANTIC CANADA OPPORTUNITIES AGENCY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE UNITED JEWISH APPEAL DINNER It’s a real pleasure to be here and to have the opportunity to speak to such a distinguished group of people. You are here because of your generosity, your creativity, and your sense of duty and commitment to your communities, to Canada and to our great friend and fellow democracy, the state of Israel. There are many reasons—some very personal, some widely shared—for why some people give back so much to others. Books have been written and there are plenty of complicated theories to explain concepts like altruism, community spirit and empathy. I’m sure this is all laudable work, but I prefer the explanation that Jewish friends have provided over the years: “It’s not so complicated,” they tell me. “You just have to be a mensch.” “Be a mensch.” Be a responsible human being. Take your responsibilities to yourself, to your family, to your community seriously. Have solid values and try your best to live by them. We could over-complicate this idea all we want, but what has so impressed me in the Jewish community is that the idea of responsibility—of doing the right thing—is so deeply ingrained in the tradition, not as something fossilized, but as a living, breathing presence in modern Jewish households across this country and around the world. We in Canada are all fortunate to live in a country where people in all walks of life, in all religious and social and cultural communities, take their responsibilities seriously. From the minor league volunteer hockey coaches to hospital volunteers to the builders of our great museums, Canadians can be counted on to contribute their time, energy and money to make this country a better place for all. They do so not because of complicated theories, but because it is the right thing to do. This is a country with millions of mensches. So it is a special pleasure to be able to say thank you to so many of them gathered here tonight in one room. Thank you for your commitment and your leadership in a country that has benefited so enormously from the principles you represent and from the way in which you put principles into practice. Putting principles into practice is what community leadership is all about. So, too, in political life, where leadership is about translating principles into practice. Yet, as we know, politics is the art of the possible, and circumstances can change quickly. All governments must be pragmatic and flexible in order to meet new challenges as they arise. The danger is that, in some cases, all you get is flexibility, with little principle and no leadership. Some governments are so busy trying to be all things to all people that no one knows what they stand for. We believe that Canadians deserve better. We believe government should set out clear principles that provide a guide to what we will do. And then to exercise the leadership Canadians want to see to put those principles into practice. That is the goal our new government set for itself when we came into office just over 10 months ago. Our principles and priorities are clear:   •         Toward smaller, better government. We believe the federal government should not spend its time looking for new areas to get into when there is so much to be done in those areas where Canadians expect their governments to act decisively and well.   •         Toward reducing the tax burden on individuals and corporations to allow them greater freedom to make their own choices about their own welfare.   •         Toward better public safety for Canadians at home. Canadians have a right to feel secure in their homes and neighbourhoods.   •         Toward greater accountability in public life. Government service is a serious responsibility. It is not “our” money that we spend; it is the hard-earned money of ordinary Canadians.   •         Toward a more open approach to federal-provincial-territorial relations, including avoiding unnecessary duplication and overlap. Good federalism requires working together, not working against each other.   •         Toward restoring public faith in government by saying what we are going to do, and then doing it. We will not make promises we cannot keep. We carry the same attitudes toward foreign policy. Canadians want our country to have influence in the world, to have the capacity to help shape the international environment in ways that serve this country’s needs and aspirations. We agree, but to do so requires setting out certain fundamental principles to be followed. First, in foreign policy the stakes for Canada must be clear. If the issue does not engage important Canadian values and interests, then why should we bother when there are so many other pressing demands on our time and resources? Second, if you’re going to talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk. In international affairs, you have to pull your weight. Other countries soon get tired of the freeloaders. And third, if you give your word, keep your word. We want our friends and allies to know that when Canada says it is going to do something, it does it. These are not principles plucked out of thin air. We believe they reflect the deeply held values that shaped this country and made it what it is today. It is these values that guide us in everything we are trying to do in the world. Let me give you a few examples of how we are putting those principles into practice on the fundamental issues in which this country has an indisputable stake. First, our fight against terrorism. Canada faces threats from extremists, and we are doing everything we can to defend this country against those who would do us harm. An important part of the fight against terrorism is making sure that Canada does not serve as a base for terrorism against other countries. The Tamil Tigers are a terrorist organization. For many years, their supporters in Canada were allowed far too free a hand in raising funds to support their activities in Sri Lanka. We put a stop to that. We have outlawed the Tamil Tigers, and it is illegal in Canada for anyone to participate in the group’s activities. We were advised not to do it. People said it would cost us votes in the next election. But we stuck to our principles. A second example: Afghanistan. Let no one be under any illusions. We knew from the beginning it would be difficult. We have seen fine young Canadians pay the ultimate price in the service of their country. We feel these losses deeply, and the entire nation mourns our fallen. We are doing everything we can to keep our people as safe as possible in Afghanistan. Our resolve is firm. We are determined to see our mission through because the stakes are so high. The security of Canada was put at risk by the events of September 11, 2001—events that can be traced back directly to extremists that were provided with a secure base of operations in Afghanistan by the Taliban government. That is why the effort to rebuild Afghanistan as a democratic state is central in the campaign against terrorism. There is also a moral obligation to help the country recover from decades of strife, misery and oppression. The Afghan government has asked for international help, and they are getting it. The United Nations has mounted its largest political mission in the world in Afghanistan. Approximately 31,000 troops from 37 countries participate in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and over 60 countries are contributing to Afghanistan’s development. The credibility of the United Nations hangs in the balance. Success in Afghanistan is critical to our vision of a world where international institutions work on behalf of all of the world’s people. The challenges in Afghanistan are enormous, and require an integrated effort that links security, governance and development. All three are critical, but security and stabilization are fundamental. That is why our troops are so necessary. Without security, efforts to build the basic structures of governance cannot take root. Without the security and safety of Afghan civilians, the international community’s assistance in alleviating poverty, providing food assistance and improving individual and family life cannot be as effective as they should be. And let me underline that we are working very hard to reach the people in need. Last May, Prime Minister Harper announced an additional $310 million in development funding for Afghanistan for 2006–2007, bringing Canada’s total contribution to nearly $1 billion over 10 years, from 2001 to 2011. Just last month, the government announced over $58 million in CIDA funding to help rebuild needed infrastructure and provide access to health care, clean water, sanitation and irrigation systems, and education—the basic services people need most. A further $14.5 million will go toward a project to help 1,500 women develop horticulture to generate income and supplement diets. Canada is answering the immediate needs of Kandahar province through $5 million to the World Food Programme to help 12,000 displaced families, with an additional $5 million contributed to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which aims at immunizing over 7 million Afghan children. These are but some of the examples of Canadian support to the Afghan people. It is delivered in various ways to meet various needs: feeding the poor, educating children, providing better health service, building infrastructure, and fostering local entrepreneurship and development. This is hard, often dangerous work, but it is worth it. The Taliban know that the people of Afghanistan do not want them back. The Afghan people have voted twice, despite many dangers, to elect their own representatives. They have said what they want. They want to live in freedom from fear. They want to improve the lives of their families. Women want to see their rights protected and their opportunities expanded. Girls want to go to school just like their brothers. The Afghan people want to be rid of tyranny. The long-term answer to fanatics like the Taliban is to show people that there is a peaceful alternative to continual strife, a way to build prosperity and security for everyone that is based on the rule of law and respect for rights. It is called democracy. With every advance toward a functioning democratic government comes a lessening in the chances that Afghanistan will be a source of terrorist threat aimed at Canada and its allies. That is our objective in Afghanistan. That is why people from around the world are risking their lives to make a better future for the Afghan people. That is why Canada is there and why Canada should stay there until the job is done. A third example: the Middle East. People have criticized us for departing from traditional Canadian positions regarding the region. I disagree. We still hold to the fundamental points of long-standing Canadian policy. Israel is a sovereign state, both in fact and in law. It does not need anyone’s permission to exist. It has a right to ensure its own security, including the right to protect its citizens from attack, a right recognized in international law. We also believe Israel has a duty to protect civilians and we have urged Israel to take every precaution to avoid civilian injuries and deaths. The Palestinian people have a right to self-determination, and we support a two-state solution that is achieved through negotiations. We believe a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian state should be part of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace settlement. We remain committed to the goal of a negotiated settlement, and we oppose unilateral actions that could predetermine the outcome of final status negotiations. We support the Roadmap to a permanent settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations. So much for what has not changed. What has changed are the facts on the ground in the Middle East, developments that have tested Canadian principles and have called for decisive Canadian responses. The first test was the creation of a Hamas-dominated Palestinian government. Hamas is listed as a terrorist entity under Canadian legislation, which bars any funding whatsoever to those who risk supporting them. But, even more important, Hamas bars the route to peace. We have therefore consistently called on Hamas to renounce violence, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and accept previous agreements such as the Oslo Accords and the Roadmap for peace in the Middle East. Given this clarity of purpose, no one should be surprised that we decided to suspend Canadian government funding to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. Our decision will not change until Hamas changes. We make a distinction, however, between assistance to the Palestinian Authority and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people. Our humanitarian support is continuing through multilateral and non-governmental organizations, and is closely monitored to avoid any risk of diversion to Hamas or any other terrorist groups. There are arguments that Hamas was elected in a free and fair election, and so we must accept them because the Palestinian people chose them. No, we don’t. We will support the democratic process, but our support is not unconditional. There are lines we will not cross. Genuine democracy is incompatible with support for terrorism against civilians in another country. Last summer, when Hezbollah attacked Israeli soldiers and civilians, we supported Israel’s right to defend itself. Some critics called for us to be more “neutral” on the conflict. I find this both incredible and distressing. Where is the neutral ground between Israel’s right to exist and Hezbollah’s terrorist attacks on it? Is there some middle ground between these two positions that I’m missing? I don’t think so. I think that “neutrality” on such a fundamental point is tantamount to saying that we don’t care whether Israel survives or not. But we do care. We do care that Israel’s right to live in peace and security is recognized by all its neighbours and by every other nation in the world. We do care that every terrorist organization that threatens Israel is either defeated or decides to give up violence. That is why Prime Minister Harper took such a clear stand at the recent La Francophonie Summit in Romania. A motion was introduced expressing solidarity with the people of Lebanon for their suffering—but not with the people of Israel for theirs. The loss of life and the destruction in Lebanon were tragic. Canada is playing its part in an enormous international effort to help rebuild Lebanon. However, the Prime Minister made it clear that he could not and would not support such a one-sided addition to the Final Declaration. He said that we should express solidarity with people on the basis of our common humanity, not on the basis of their nationality. Canada insisted that the meeting recognize the suffering of the Israeli people as well. Our Prime Minister stood his ground, the language was changed, and everyone in that room understood very clearly that Canada means what it says, and stands by its word. This is Canada’s principled leadership in action. This is the kind of foreign policy that Canadians want to see: Canada, a nation of principle, a leader in efforts to build a safer, more secure world. And let me assure you, this is exactly the kind of foreign policy they are going to see under this government. Thank you. </body> </html>

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