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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.
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