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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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