Notes for an address by the President of the Privy Council
and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
the Honourable Stéphane Dion

to the Council of Ethnic Canadian Business and Professional Associations

Ottawa, Ontario

November 5, 1996

Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, it was very important to me to come to talk to you today. I think that the reasons why it is important will be quite clear after my short talk.

The first question we may ask ourselves is, Why do we want to keep Canada united? Why? Many answers may come to mind. First, because we love our flag. That would not be my first answer, even though it's true that our flag is so well regarded throughout the world.

Another answer may be our national anthem when we watch the Olympic Games. Certainly, it is the most beautiful national anthem compared with other countries. And yet, that would not be my first answer, either.

Is it our standard of living? It is certainly one of the best in the world and it is certainly an important reason.

In my opinion, however, the first reason why we must keep Canada united is that Canada is an incredible human achievement. I'm not sure if it is the best country in the world. I don't want to contradict my Prime Minister, but I think that it may be the country where human beings have the best chance to be considered as human beings, whatever their background.

To me, the reason why Canada is great is not so much the beauty of the land, although it is very beautiful. Canada is great not so much because of what is specific to this country. It is great because universal values are perhaps better implemented and respected in Canada than anywhere else. We may not be the first in terms of these aspects, but it is quite likely that we are the first country.

I'm not aware of many countries that have never sent their troops outside the country other than to advance peace. I'm not aware of another country that has created blue helmets. Canadians drafted the United Nations Charter. That's what Canada means to me.

It is because we are considered throughout the world as a model of openness and tolerance that we must keep our country united. We must not do it only for ourselves, but, in my opinion, for the world. There are some 3,000 human groups worldwide that are conscious of a collective identity, according to the experts: 3,000. There are now 200 countries in the United Nations, and 85 per cent of those countries have a multicultural background.

So the idea that each people must have its own state, that each human group that is conscious of a collective identity must have its own state, that the only way to feel secure is to be in a majority within one's own state, is wrong. It is false. We must, on the contrary, create a means for confident minorities to live together in the same state respecting our different cultures, and respecting our ability to live together, to bridge together local values and universal values.

 The solution cannot be cultural assimilation. The solution cannot be cultural separation. The planet would explode, and it would be a moral error. The solution is the cohabitation of cultures, and this is what we are able to do in Canada perhaps better than anywhere else. Cohabitation of cultures.

One of the reasons why we have been able to achieve this, I believe, is partly because of our history. Partly because at the very beginning of this country, the French and the British had to make compromises together. It wasn't easy. It has been tough, especially for the French minority. But in the long run, it has created open-mindedness, an ability to be more tolerant in respect of other countries. A capacity to welcome other people from throughout the world.

We must improve on that. We must fight against racism. We must fight against any danger that may destroy this great Canadian culture.

And I want to be sure that, as they have in recent years, our cities will still lead the cities of the world in terms of quality of life. A comparison has been made of major cities in the world in terms of various factors, including environmental security and quality of life. Among the top 12 cities in the world were Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal. Four Canadian cities. The best American city was Boston, and it was 30th. To me, this is Canada. And it is for this reason, much more than the Rocky Mountains, that I want to see Vancouver and Montreal stay in the same country, because we share the same universal values.

When I am in my constituency of Saint-Laurent-Cartierville on the Island of Montreal and I meet young people of different backgrounds, they are able to speak French, English and a third or even fourth language: four languages. I want to ensure that they will stay in Montreal, because they are the future of Montreal. And they are great.

And I need your help for that. Your country needs your help for that, because you may have an important contribution for various reasons.

First, many of you made a conscious choice to become Canadian. Coming here from other countries and continents gives you unique perspectives on the benefits of being Canadian, benefits which those of us born here can sometimes take for granted. You have important insights to share with your fellow Canadians and we think that is the first reason why you may have an important contribution.

Second, most of you, I think, are businesspeople and professionals, and you do business throughout the world, and you are all an asset for Canadians because you have the ability to bridge our country to other economic networks, and you must say how much our multicultural capacity is a strength for our country. You may help other Canadians to benefit from your experiences with that aspect.

Third, you can act as knowledgeable, persuasive advocates for respecting diversity and differences, for being open to change and compromise and for promoting an atmosphere of tolerance and openness. I think that's very important.

Finally, those of you who live or do business in Quebec can fight the myth that it is an intolerant society. Quebec is as tolerant as other parts of Canada. If we look, for instance, at support for cultural diversity, it is as strong in Quebec as elsewhere, and the most important mistake we may make is to confuse Quebec society with intolerance. While it may be true that the danger of intolerance exists, it does not come from Quebec society. It comes from the dynamic of secession, and secession is a divisive issue. Secession may plunge the most tolerant societies into intolerance, and it is very important for all of you who know Quebec well to explain to other Canadians that it is so important that we never make that mistake, and to see Quebec society as a very wonderful society, a fundamental characteristic of Canada, and that it must be recognized and celebrated as such.

So, in conclusion, we should all do our part to ensure the success of this process. Canada shows that humanity can overcome its linguistic and racial divisions. It shows that diversity strengthens the whole. We must preserve Canada not only for ourselves but also for our children and our children's children, and as an example for the world.

Check against delivery.