Notes for an Address
by Prime Minister Jean ChrétienOctober 15, 2001
Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Speaker,
A few weeks ago, I led a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians to a place of horror. A grave for 6,000 innocent souls. A place called Ground Zero.
It is impossible to look upon the ruin of the World Trade Centre and not be moved. By disbelief. By sympathy for the victims. By outrage at the criminals. By a desire for righteous punishment. But, above all, by a firm resolve to stand up and be counted. To stand up for our people, for our values, for our way of life. To send a clear message to the cowards in the shadows who planned this crime against humanity that their days of being able to run and hide are coming to an end.
And if the attacks of September 11th are a shameful benchmark for the dark side of human nature, the deliberate and forceful manner in which Canada and the world have marshalled our resources against the forces of terror will be remembered as a proud benchmark of global courage and common purpose.
From the wise and measured response of President George Bush. To NATO speaking as one. To the rapid formation of an unprecedented multi-national and multi-ethnic coalition. A coalition in which the principal adversaries in the Cold War - the United States, Russia and China - are now making common cause.
Here at home, Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been fully engaged. And all governments have matched their engagement. With helpful action and proposals by mayors and the provincial premiers. With the round-the-clock work of public servants, for which they have the thanks of all Canadians. We have had substantial debate in this House. And substantive discussions in our Committees.
Mr. Speaker, protecting innocent citizens against terrorism was a fundamental priority of civilized nations before the awful events of September 11th . For our part, Canada had already pioneered ways of preventing terrorists from exploiting our country as a base of operation and attack, including the screening of air passengers abroad before they fly to Canada.
And proposed changes to the Immigration Act and the Customs Act currently before Parliament anticipated many of the security and economic concerns that have been given renewed prominence in recent days. I urge all parties to work together urgently to pass these bills.
Since September 11th, our border crossings have been on a high state of alert. And security measures were immediately increased at our airports.
But in the days since, it has become clear that the scope of the threat that terror poses to our way of life has no parallel.
We in North America have been extraordinarily fortunate to live in peace, untouched by attack.
That has changed.
Additional action is required from Canada and all nations - domestically and in concert with each other - for there to be a truly effective and truly global offensive against terrorism.
Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update the House on the specific steps our government is taking as part of a comprehensive Action Plan on Canadian Security. A plan whose goals are to protect Canadian citizens, keep our borders secure, protect our values, sustain our economy, and defy the threat that terrorism poses to free and civilized nations everywhere.
Our Action Plan entails both immediate action and new legislation. It is measured and focused. And equips Canada to be an aggressive international partner in the coalition to destroy - root and branch, the shadow networks of supply, finance and penetration that allowed the terrorists to carry out the mass murder of September 11th .
Above all, our Action Plan will reassure Canadians that even in the wake of September 11th we can live our lives on our terms, according to our values, not on terms dictated from the shadows.
But as I told the NATO Parliamentary Assembly last week, Mr. Speaker, we must be clear in our minds that this is a new kind of struggle against a new kind of enemy. And we must not allow ourselves to be trapped by the rhetoric or experiences of past wars to define our tactics or measure our success.
The twisted calculus of success for our adversaries is not territorial gain. But the extent to which they can, through terror, rip at the very fibre of our societies: disrupt our economies, set community against community, faith against faith, or citizen against citizen.
In this new struggle, conventional military power will, of course, play a role.
I have authorized the execution of Operation Apollo. The largest deployment of Canadian Armed Forces since the Korean War, involving over 2,000 men and women. Our naval ships, air transports and air surveillance planes have been assigned vital tasks in connection with the ongoing international military action that is being carried out against Osama bin Laden, his Al-Queda network and the renegade Taliban regime of Afghanistan which provides them safe harbour.
In joining this action, we have made it clear that we have no quarrel with Islam but with a cadre of extremists. Whose goal is to terrify and disrupt nations. Whose acts of mass murder have unjustly smeared a great world religion. Nor do we have a quarrel with the people of Afghanistan. Indeed, there is a world wide effort to provide assistance to the Afghan people. Our dispute is with the Taliban regime.
Mr. Speaker, there is no more solemn decision for a Prime Minister than that of sending Canadians into military action. I know that all Members, and all Canadians, understand the gravity of this decision.
And I have been moved by the strong words of support that I have heard from all sides of the House for the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families. And I want to particularly thank the leaders of the Opposition parties for their cooperation.
Mr. Speaker, while the world is transfixed at this time by the images of military action, we must never forget that military action will only be a part of the struggle. Our enemies have no fixed home or address. So military action will only be effective in concert with precise and accurate information. Moreover, Canadians rightly expect us to do more than just retaliate against acts of terror. They expect us to help prevent them from being carried out in the first place.
And this will only be possible through the determination, ingenuity and common purpose of police and security forces and intelligence agencies around the world. The challenge all nations face is to ensure that investigative agencies have the tools they need to accelerate their frontline efforts to protect citizens, frustrate terrorist schemes and ensure that terrorists are brought to justice
In our Action Plan, we have already taken strong steps.
We have approved new expenditures to support tougher security measures and enhanced investigation capacity. Security is being stepped up at all border points: land, sea and air. And for all modes of transport, especially air travel. The number of RCMP, Immigration and Customs officers at border points is being increased. State-of-the-art security technologies are being quickly brought on line, both for use in detection and to facilitate information sharing.
This week, we will announce new measures in the field of intelligence gathering and emergency planning.
Today Mr. Speaker, the Minister Justice introduced new legislation to aid in our struggle against world wide terrorism.
Canada has traditionally fought terrorism through the Criminal Code. For such acts as hi-jacking, attacks on aircraft and murder. These are important tools. And, of course, they will remain available for prosecuting acts committed by terrorists.
But September 11th has shown us that we need an even stronger, more focused approach to our laws. To find ways to incapacitate terrorist groups before they can attack by striking at their organization and financing.
Under this legislation, it will be a crime to participate in the terrorist activities of a terrorist group. It will also be a crime to finance terrorism. The legislation will fully and effectively implement the UN Convention on Terrorist Financing and UN Security Council Resolution 1373.
In developing this legislation, we have paid close attention to what other democratic countries are doing in the fight against terrorism. It is important that we act in a way that is consistent with the approach of other democratic nations And in conformity with international law.
This comprehensive package of legislation meets our international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, a free and open society never lightly increases the powers of law enforcement authorities.
Our challenge in developing this legislation has been to respond in a way that reflects and protects - for the long term - our core values of freedom, democracy and equality.
Canada is a free nation; a just nation; a nation of laws. It is also a land of immigrants. A place where people from almost every nation and faith on earth have come to find freedom, respect, harmony, and a brighter future.
These values are the very bricks and mortar of our society.
Terrorism seeks to undermine the rule of law and the preservation of human rights. The real test of our values is how they guide us in times of crisis. Quite frankly, in the past as a country we did not always pass that test.
We must be vigilant today to make sure that we do not repeat past mistakes.
As the Minister of Justice, it was my privilege to introduce the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I am deeply committed to it. And I believe that the legislation we have introduced today is essential to preserve those very values. In the drafting of the Anti-Terrorism Act, we have taken great care to protect these rights and freedoms.
It provides meaningful protection of individual rights through the inclusion of due process guarantees. It provides for parliamentary review after three years to re-examine the necessity and effectiveness of these measures.
But we all recognize that the legislation has, of necessity, been prepared quickly. Therefore, the role of the Justice Committee of this House in scrutinizing the Bill will be of particular importance. It must examine the Bill through the lens, not only of public safety, but also of individual rights.
And I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, the government will pay close attention to the findings and recommendations of the Committee. I want the Committee to give the Bill thorough study. While obviously taking into account the need to pass legislation as quickly as possible.
Since September 11th, some groups and individuals have been the target of racial and religious slurs and even violent attacks. There is no place for this behaviour in Canada. The anti-terrorism bill contains measures that will strengthen the protection of religious freedom and counter hatred based on race, religion and ethnic prejudice.
Mr. Speaker, we must never forget that the ultimate goal of terrorists is not to capture us by the force of arms. But by the force of terror. They don’t want to occupy Canada. They want to shut Canada down!
Mr. Speaker. This Government. This House. This nation. Will not let them!
Even as we continue to take strong action to address the immediate security concerns of Canadians we will also proceed with our longer-term agenda to build a more prosperous, more inclusive, Canada.
Canadians have never been a people to live life looking over our shoulders. Ours is an open, prosperous society. Our action plan is about doing what we have to do to allow Canadians to get on with their lives, secure in their safety.
To allow our businesses to get back to business. Secure in the knowledge that the flow of goods and services across our border with the United States - the anchor of Canadian prosperity - will continue unrestricted.
At home, our government will continue to follow economic and fiscal policies that will enable business and consumers to continue to make their plans with optimism and confidence. We will also work with our partners in the G-7 to ensure the stability of the global economy.
I would add, Mr. Speaker, that if we expect Canadians to get on with their lives. We must be an example to them by getting on with our job. The job of building our future.
Because the security of our country is dependent not only on the protection of our border and our airports, not only on the power we give to law enforcement agencies. It is also dependent on the prosperity of our economy, the health of our environment, the inclusiveness of our society, and the strength of our voice in the world.
Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, the world changed. A global struggle began. The first great struggle for justice of the 21st century.
But if we face a new enemy the role of Canada in the struggle ahead is not new. As always, we have not picked this fight. As always, Canada is on the side of justice and right.
In the struggle ahead there may be no unconditional surrender or victory parades. But there will be countless victories. The quiet victories of everyday life.
Victories that, in the end, will be won by our reliance on the single most effective weapon that free and civilized nations have always had in our arsenal: the spirit of our citizens.
Our enemies have made a fatal miscalculation. They have mistaken our freedom for weakness. They have mistaken our openness and generosity for a lack of spine. They have mistaken our values for a lack of resolve.
And they will be proven wrong. On every count.
Mr. Speaker, the road ahead will be long. But our victory will be complete!
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