CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY

THE HONOURABLE BILL GRAHAM,

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

AT THE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE 2002 CONFERENCE

MONTREAL, Quebec

October 16, 2002

I am very grateful for this opportunity to discuss some issues that are crucial to the future of democracy in the world, as well as to the ongoing quest for a global society that places the well-being of individual citizens at the centre of international concerns.

In the current context, where globalization has certain definite if not decisive consequences for our societies and our world, it is more essential than ever for democratic governments to maintain a continuous dialogue with civil society.

I consider active participation in this dialogue to be a key aspect of my mandate as the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

That is why I have been so anxious to meet with you today, you who are not only large in numbers and come from the four corners of the globe, but who also embody such fundamental values as solidarity, tolerance and openness and who demand unconditional respect for human dignity.

The role of civil society--which is to say, your role--in world affairs has become an unavoidable reality that the political leaders of governments and multilateral organizations are taking into serious consideration. In my view, we have together written a positive chapter in our history.

But in fact, what is at issue is more than your role, more even than the question of governance: it is the question of ensuring that globalization evolves in a truly democratic fashion, while promoting not only economic prosperity for all, but also human rights, including social rights, as well as cultural diversity, environmental protection and our common security.

But we still have a very long way to go. Environmental degradation, endemic poverty, the spread of diseases that know no boundaries, the threats posed by terrorism and organized crime: we have to admit that the issues of our time are so grave and so complex that no state can claim to be capable of resolving them on its own.

That is why I like to make the point in most of the forums available to me, in Canada or elsewhere in the world, that cooperation among nations is one of the conditions for success in improving the well-being of all humankind.

But each time, I also emphasize the fact that to deal with challenges of this magnitude, even cooperation among governments would not be enough. Governments must also be more open to the many resources available at all levels of society, locally and globally. In that regard, civil society offers a rich reservoir of experience, analysis and expertise, which are often irreplaceable.

The dazzling growth of the influence of civil society on the global stage is one of the most striking phenomena of our age. In reducing distances and eliminating borders, the new information and communications technologies have made it possible to realize the potential for interaction among non-governmental players.

In doing so, these actions have substantially increased their political weight, in a context where citizens the world over are demanding that their governments demonstrate greater transparency and be more accountable for their decisions and actions.

In my opinion, the very tangible contribution of civil society is encouraging the leaders of democratic nations to further facilitate the participation of civil society in multilateral bodies, particularly the United Nations.

It is a concrete responsibility of governments that claim to be democratic to optimize this manifestation of civil society, for its increased participation will yield undeniable benefits, such as the realization of greater transparency in the functioning of multilateral bodies and in increased institutional accountability.

We can take comfort from the fact that this approach has been recognized by the United Nations at its Millennium Summit, which affirmed the urgency of ensuring that globalization becomes a positive force for all the peoples of the world.

Democratic governance, the liberalization of trade, better distribution of wealth and more equitable access to markets--these goals, combined with protection of the environment, workers' rights and cultural diversity, are all dimensions of international action that can and must be mutually supporting.

Globalization does not require just open trade policies; it also requires fair institutions and social justice. To achieve these goals, profound changes at the heart of our financial institutions, such as the IMF [International Monetary Fund] and the World Bank, are taking place. Here again, the contribution of civil society was the spark that initiated these reforms.

To be certain, there is still a lot of work to be done in this regard, but I am convinced that, here again, NGOs [non-governmental organizations] will play an essential role.

Civil society also has an important role to play in forging a people-centred approach to foreign policy. In the context of today's war on terrorism, civil society has a critical role to play in reminding governments that the ultimate goal of national security is to ensure the protection of individual citizens.

Canada's human security agenda recognizes that the security of governments and the security of people are inseparable, that is, they depend on each other. It is also based on an understanding that the security of Canadians is inextricably linked with the security of others beyond our borders. Thus, foreign policy initiatives that enhance the security of the person also enhance national security.

As a result of globalization and transnational interaction, our foreign policy and domestic policies are becoming inseparable.

As a government, it is our duty to analyze and incorporate into our policies and practices these dimensions that characterize the diplomatic era that is now dawning, an era in which diplomacy is no longer just a matter of relations between governments, but also of the interaction between the public, private and social forces that tend to consolidate and develop democracy, prosperity and human rights.

On this subject, most of you know about Canada's commitment to the multilateral approach, which we have just reiterated with regard to the situation in Iraq. We have called for the solution to the potential threat to world security posed by the regime of Saddam Hussein to take the route of a firm resolution of the United Nations.

But to the multilateralism of governments, should we not also add the need to implement a genuine and effective multilateralism of civil society?

This is a complex question if there ever was one, and I certainly do not claim to have the answer to it. All the same, this is an important and stimulating challenge, one that I am sure will find some judicious illumination in the discussions you have recently been holding.

To the vast majority of Canadians, multilateral bodies form the most appropriate platform for dealing with issues of global governance. That is why, together with other governments conscious of their responsibilities, we have undertaken numerous initiatives to put processes in place that can meet this challenge.

But in doing so, it must be acknowledged that any attempt to confront the challenges of globalization can be successful only when it has the confidence of the people. It is that confidence, as expressed by universal suffrage, that provides the basis for the legitimacy of the role of public authorities within international society.

Furthermore, as we can all see, elected officials themselves are often presented with globalization issues by civil society, and can then take up its demands and objectives.

Thus interaction with our countries' democratic institutions often becomes a catalyst for initiatives to put a human face on globalization.

This is giving rise to a proliferation of social and economic players, and to changes in their roles, their influence and the ways they interact. This necessarily has an impact on global governance at various levels.

First of all, the big multinational corporations are becoming so huge and influential that many fear that the power of the state is shrinking to their benefit.

Second, the increased capacity of NGOs to mobilize citizens and disseminate their messages is giving them unprecedented influence.

And finally, citizens themselves often feel like they have less and less control over decisions made on the international stage, decisions that yet affect them more than ever.

So there can be no question of denying the difficulties posed by globalization. But its challenges will be overcome only if a balance is struck between the role and influence of the state and those of the market and civil society.

The increased influence of NGOs and multinationals, for example, necessarily obliges them to be more responsible in their public actions and interventions.

For governments and states, greater transparency in policy development and implementation and openness to increased engagement by citizens--and not just the elite--in all sectors, have become imperative.

For these reasons, the Canadian government recognizes that the information, advice and know-how that you contribute are indispensable for our negotiators and decision makers working on the diplomatic front.

Consider, for example, the successes that have been largely driven by NGOs:

• the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines;

• disarmament;

• the creation of the International Criminal Court; and

• the campaign against the sexual exploitation and military enlistment of children.

These, then, are major advances, among many others, in which Canadian NGOs, with their international partners, have become front-line players, contributing to the development of policies and solutions to problems that widely exceed the capacity of states acting on their own.

These consultations have been a factor in spurring our country to be a vigorous promoter of the participation of civil society within international bodies. And I can assure you, in this regard, that Canada will continue both its support and its efforts to make sure that the voice, or rather the voices, of civil society are ever better heard and taken into greater consideration.

All of these issues also have a profound resonance for me on a personal level. I have been a member of the Parliament of Canada for nearly a decade now. My experience has given me an appreciation of the extent to which Canadian NGOs have become integral to our country's foreign policy development.

On the humanitarian front, for example, one need only consider the formative role of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement--with which, incidentally, I met here in Montreal two weeks ago--or agencies such as OXFAM, CARE and CARITAS, among so many others, all of which have deep roots in our country.

On the human rights front, how can the role of organizations such as Amnesty international, Human Rights Watch and Rights and Democracy be ignored?

There are also various youth agencies--perhaps less well known but with solid bases both here and abroad--whose great number and indeed diversity are for me a constant source of stimulation. In Quebec alone, I have met with many of them in recent months, including the Jeunes du Monde movement, which is active in hundreds of secondary schools, through student groups such as Mer et Monde and Enfants d'ici ou d'ailleurs. These young people have made it clear to me that Canadian civil society truly has everything it needs to look to the future with confidence.

Furthermore, through my involvement in parliamentary diplomacy I have become convinced of the importance of the role of elected officials in the development of global governance.

I have always had great appreciation for the role of NGOs in helping to provide a better structure for the influence of parliaments on global issues. I am thinking, for example, of the creation of the parliamentarians' networks on the WTO, as well as that important innovation, the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption--with which I met last evening in Ottawa.

I also think of the whole spectrum of consultations and exchanges that took place in preparing for the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City last year. On that occasion, women's and youth movements, indigenous peoples, churches, unions, academics and business people all exerted strong pressure for a Canadian commitment in the Americas that could be instrumental in harmonizing the economic integration of the continent with the deepening of democracy as well as with human rights, through the promotion of cultural diversity and, of course, good governance.

During the Summit, it was also my privilege to chair the NGO group that met with the foreign affairs ministers of 15 countries of the Americas--a first for an international conference at that level. This precedent also became a real dynamic of commitment for civil society, which is being called to shape the creation process of the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

And one more example, last but not least.

It was with great pride that, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, I met in Calgary last June with the people taking part in the parallel G8 summit, called the G6B. This was a crucial aspect of Canada's preparation for the G8 Summit.

It was my privilege at that time to relay and thoroughly explain to the Prime Minister of Canada the recommendations issued by the G6B. He then delivered them to the G8 heads of state meeting in plenary session.

So these facts show that, for the Government of Canada, the engagement of civil society is more than ever a dimension that will continue to influence our decisions and policies on the world stage.

In short, I would like to add that it is vital to intensify our common work together, because our lives, the foundations of our societies and even our symbols are now standing on perpetually shifting tectonic plates.

Faced with this, we must not let its complexity cause us to be resigned, but rather instill the desire to tackle it head-on, to address it by sharing our skills and coordinating our respective responsibilities.

I have now come to the end of this first part of our meeting today. But in light of Gustave Flaubert's axiom that "ineptitude is the desire to conclude," it is out of the question for me to bring this to a conclusion! So I look forward impatiently to the discussions we will have in the next hour.

I will therefore close--without concluding!--on the idea that global governance is certainly a most weighty challenge, one that proceeds from the very complexity of globalization itself.

We must now, therefore, not only assimilate this inherent complexity, but also engage in what might be called anticipatory thinking, embracing the new developments of our time, with no abnegation and no resignation.

As the philosopher André Gorz wrote a few years ago, "We must learn to detect the unrealized chances that lie sleeping in the folds of the present. We must try to seize these chances, seize the change."

Thank you.