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Archives - Press Room

MINISTER DION HIGHLIGHTS THE ADVANTAGES OF THE CANADIAN FEDERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION

 

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, January 25, 2001 – Speaking at a banquet organized by the Canadian Student Leadership Conference, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, highlighted the advantages Canada has to meet the challenges of globalization.

Mr. Dion first reacted to the argument reiterated just recently by Quebec Deputy Premier Bernard Landry, to the effect that the recent appearance of numerous new countries proves that Quebec's independence would be in keeping with current trends. The Minister refuted this, stating that, on the contrary, the current issues surrounding globalization are an argument in favour of Canadian unity.

The Minister noted that the world consisted of 69 nation-states in 1945 and that 122 have been added since, for a total of 191. Of those, 93 are former colonies, which, needless to say, is not the case with Quebec. Between 1945 and 1989, only six nation-states were created outside the decolonization process, in circumstances very different from Quebec's. Mr. Dion also pointed out that 23 of the new countries that have appeared since 1990 resulted from the disintegration of the Communist empires. As the Minister stated, "Their birth cannot be attributed to a recent phenomenon of modernization to which Quebec would be a party."

Mr. Dion thus believes that "there is no historical basis to the claim that the appearance of numerous new countries argues in favour of Quebec's separation from Canada." On the contrary, he feels that "the recent trends surrounding such realities as market globalization make Canadian unity an even more valuable asset for all the citizens of our country."

"There are few countries better positioned than ours to succeed in this global village," the Minister stated, as he outlined our country 's strengths: its excellent reputation, the complementarity of its provinces, its two official languages that are international languages, its two legal systems, its geographic position that puts it at the gateway to the Americas, Europe and Asia, and its multicultural population that gives it a foothold on every continent.

The Minister also highlighted Canada's experience: "Canada has it in spades, when it comes to globalization. It did not wait for globalization to become fashionable before it started taking an interest in it. Since the end of the Second World War, it has played a key international role in the creation of institutions that provide an effective framework for globalization."

The Minister then noted that the most tangible expression of globalization is our ever-increasing interdependence with the United States, "Canada's best friend... whether we like it or not." Mr. Dion demonstrated that this interdependence with the giant to the south makes Canadian unity more necessary than ever, both for breaking into the U.S. market and for maintaining those elements of our quality of life that distinguish us from the United States.

"This is what Canada is all about," the Minister concluded, "a synergy of cultures which yields excellent results. And that's why Canada works so well. And, I might add, that is why Canada plays such a useful role in the world, both for established countries and for those which have emerged more recently out of circumstances that have nothing to do with our own."

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For information: 
André Lamarre
Special Assistant
Tel: (613) 943-1838
Fax: (613) 943-5553  


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Last Modified: 2001-01-25  Important Notices