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Promoting Democratic Governance
in the Americas |
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The Honorable Bill
Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
OAS Main Plenary
Santiago, Chile
June 8, 2003 |
Madame chair, colleagues;
 "The
peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an
obligation to promote and defend it." this sentence from the Inter-American
Democratic Charter represents our shared commitment to principles of democracy,
and our will to cooperate in ensuring that these principles are upheld. In
Canada, we believe that the democratic charter has the potential to become the
Magna Carta of our hemisphere: a foundation of democratic governance in the
Americas.
However, for this to happen we must be prepared to respond quickly to crises of
democracy, and to use the charter as it was intended. Indeed, we must do more to
promote and implement the charter across our societies in order to reinforce
democratic governance, which is the main theme of this general assembly.
Déjà, les obligations de la charte ont amené des états membres à agir. ainsi, le
Nicaragua, s'est référé à la charte en septembre dernier pour soutenir sa
campagne nationale contre la corruption. Cela marque un progrès important dans
la volonté des états membres d'utiliser les nouveaux outils qu'ils ont créés
pour promouvoir la démocratie sur leur propre territoire, ainsi que dans
l'hémisphère.
Il nous reste cependant beaucoup de chemin à parcourir pour réaliser la promesse
de la charte. comme vous le savez, le premier ministre du Canada a proposé la
tenue, cette année, d'un « sommet extraordinaire des amériques
»
Pour examiner les défis que l'hémisphère doit maintenant relever. Le président
fox a gracieusement offert d'accueillir ce sommet en novembre prochain. Nous
savons qu'il est urgent de produire des résultats dans le domaine de la
gouvernance démocratique. Il faut donner à nos citoyens des raisons de croire en
la capacité de la démocratie à résoudre les problèmes sociaux et économiques
d'aujourd'hui.
Comme
le sommet sera la première rencontre des chefs d'etat et de gouvernement depuis
l'adoption de la charte, le 11 septembre 2001, ceux-ci auront l'occasion de
réaffirmer leur engagement à l'égard de la charte elle-même, et de dire encore
une fois aux populations des ameriques que la démocratie est le meilleur espoir
pour l'avènement de sociétés stables et prospères. This is why we must support
minister Alvear's call for the development of an "Agenda for Democratic
Governance in the Americas", which leaders could endorse at the special summit.
In our view, such an agenda should focus on ways to strengthen institutions
essential to democratic governance.
These include independent and effective judicial and economic institutions; a
professional public service; credible electoral systems; legislators that have
the capacity to debate and improve legislation; a free and responsible media;
constructive consultations with civil society; professional police and military
services that respect the primacy of civilian authority and a strong commitment
to human rights that lays the foundation for these initiatives to succeed. we
also need to tackle such highly complex and controversial issues as that of
political party campaign financing.
I also urge that we work together in implementing the Monterrey Consensus in our
hemisphere, in order to encourage the wider trade and investment flows that
serve as the main engine for development. This will be essential to addressing
poverty and social exclusion in our hemisphere. We must use the special summit,
along with the O.A.S. and development banks, to gather new ideas on these
topics.
To date, Canada has committed some cdn$440 million to activities supporting the
Quebec City plan of action. in light of our belief that efforts cannot succeed
without the participation of civil society and indigenous peoples, our
commitments include funds for the indigenous peoples partnership program, which
matches development expertise of aboriginal canadians with the development
requirements of indigenous peoples in the Americas.
One central and difficult point must be emphasized at this juncture. As we all
know, globalization is benefiting our peoples in dramatically unequal ways, and
this is producing considerable strains in all of our countries. The summit
process and our plan of action of Quebec City have given us some valuable tools
to address these realities, but we must continue pressing for concrete policy
options to address adverse effects of recent economic and political changes.
I should also emphasize that our collective efforts at reform must include not
just a top-down institutional and political approach, but equally importantly, a
bottom-up approach working with those whom we seek to assist, and with civil
society organizations. consultation and dialogue, as well as a strong commitment
to human rights, are indispensable for the success of our efforts. Democratic
reform, like democracy itself, must be founded in the informed participation of
all elements in our societies if it is to be legitimate, and in the end,
effective.
I cannot close my remarks on democratic governance, madame chair, without a
reference to the issue of Cuba, a country of our hemisphere and where recent
events have raised serious concerns that people are suffering unacceptable
penalties merely for speaking out about the basic freedoms that we are
discussing here as essential elements of our experience in the Americas.
I know that many colleagues around this table do not believe that the OAS is the
appropriate forum to discuss Cuba. In that respect, I refer to the words of the
representative of the United States at the civil society dialogue yesterday, to
the effect that we do need to find constructive, positive ways to move forward
on this issue.
In fact, colleagues, we did open the door to this discussion last month. Surely
now, whatever our different perspectives on the appropriate solution to this
long standing issue, we owe it to ourselves in this, the only multilateral forum
representing the diversity of views of the Americas, to seek constructive ways
to begin a process to deal with this issue and bring the benefits of our work on
democracy to the Cuban people.
Thank you.
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June 11, 2003
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