MINISTER DION HIGHLIGHTS THE CANADIAN ADVANTAGE IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

CALGARY, ALBERTA, September 25, 1999 – Speaking to participants at the Globalization 2000 symposium at the University of Calgary, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, was invited to respond to the question Globalization: Convergence or Divergence?: Will market globalization create new countries or, on the contrary, lead to mergers of existing countries?

Mr. Dion responded that, in his opinion, "market globalization will likely have no noticeable effect on the number of countries in the world." The Minister expressed great optimism about the future of Canada. "Market globalization works in favour of Canadian unity."

The Minister noted that "market globalization has so far not created a single new country." He pointed out that none of the 122 new states that have joined the United Nations since 1945 has been born of market globalization. "No fewer than 93 of them are former colonies. Decolonization stems much more from a surge in the values of equality and human dignity than from market globalization," Mr. Dion stated. He also noted that, outside the decolonization process, only six new states were created between 1945 and 1989: Israel, North and South Korea, Senegal, Singapore and Bangladesh. "You'd be hard pressed to link any of those different cases to market globalization," he added. The Minister also specified that all of the 23 new countries that have appeared since 1990 have been born out of the chain of events that accompanied and followed the disintegration of the Communist empires.

Mr. Dion also stated that, although globalization is a real phenomenon, we must not exaggerate its novelty: "After five decades of market liberalization, we have barely achieved the degree of economic globalization that existed a hundred years ago. We thus need to put what we are currently experiencing into perspective." The Minister then stated that national borders still matter and have not been made obsolete by globalization. "In one sense, we can even say that the issues surrounding market globalization make it more necessary than ever to maintain a strong national cohesion within each country," he noted.

The Minister then highlighted the advantages of Canadian unity in the era of globalization. After pointing out that in the case of Canada, market globalization is expressed through a greater openness to the American market, he showed how the Canadian federation is a tremendous advantage for further opening that market. Mr. Dion then talked of the means Canada deploys to make its voice heard in the United States: the third largest embassy in Washington and diplomats and international trade specialists who advance Canadian interests in American centres of influence. He then asserted that Canada is able to influence the US not only because it is its major trading partner, but also because of the influence Canada exerts in international forums. "[...] our main asset for breaking into the US market is our unity. Trying to do so in disorder and division would weaken us dangerously," the Minister added.

In conclusion, the Minister stated that few countries are better positioned than Canada to succeed in this global world. "At a time when international agreements are affecting our lives more and more, we need to be able to count on our country's prestige and influence. To take on the challenges of the new economy, solidarity among all Canadians is more essential than ever."

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