Reasserting
Canada as an Asia-Pacific Nation
Remarks by
Hon. David Kilgour
MP for Edmonton Southeast and Secretary
of State (Asia-Pacific)
Club of Rome, Canadian Chapter
Army Officer’s Mess
Ottawa, 28 April
2003
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Delivery
Thank you for the invitation; it’s
an honour for anyone, who is brave enough,
to address a chapter of the Club of Rome.
Je vous
remercie de m’avoir invité.
C’est toujours un plaisir de prendre
la parole devant le Club de Rome. Le Canada
est un pays qui a profondément plongé
ses racines dans la région
Asie-Pacifique.
Je discuterai aujourd’hui de cette
question et de l’incidence qu’elle
aura sur notre politique étrangère
dans les prochaines années. Comme
je crois savoir que tout le monde ici n’est
pas bilingue et que, malheureusement, aucun
service de traduction n’est
disponible,
je présenterai mon discours en
anglais. Cependant, si vous désirez obtenir
une copie des observations préparées
en français, je serai heureux de
vous en procurer.
One challenge
about speaking here was deciding what to
talk about in front of an audience as well-informed
and engaged as all of you. To say that there
is much to choose from would be serious
understatement. To borrow from Thomas Friedman,
the well known author and columnist for
the New York Times, “huge tectonic
plates of history [are] moving ... and now
we are all present at the creation of some
kind of new global power structure.”
[i]
Friedman is definitely on to something.
Ladies and
gentlemen, what I’d like to discuss
briefly are those shifting tectonic plates
and how they affect Canada’s relations
with the Asia-Pacific region. This question
is of enormous importance because –
and it’s what many people do not often
realise – Canada is an Asia-Pacific
nation. And we’re becoming more so
by the day. Canada’s largest sources
of immigrants last year, accounting for
some 90,000 people, were China, India, Pakistan,
and the Philippines. [ii] China has been
our number one source of immigrants five
years running. Our two way trade across
the Pacific exceeds our trade across the
Atlantic, and has for the better part of
ten years.
And if one
was looking for a current example to indicate
just how tied we are to Asia, the current
SARS outbreak is most unfortunate case in
point: it really shouldn’t be all that
surprising that -after Hong Kong, Beijing,
and Singapore – Toronto has registered
the largest number of SARS cases. Indeed,
we are tied to the Asia-Pacific region like
never before. Given our close links, I believe
that we have a prime opportunity -- as the
title of my talk indicates – to re-assert
ourselves as a major Asia-Pacific nation.
Setting
the Stage
Before getting
to that, allow me to set the stage by touching
on some of the broad issues – some
of those shifting tectonic plates –
I’ve alluded to that impact on our
relations with the Asia-Pacific. The war
in Iraq has highlighted our broad and very
deep relationship with the United States.
We face enormous pressure to ensure that
our decision not to be part of the military
coalition does not adversely affect the
relatively seamless passage of people and
goods across our common border - across
which flows almost $2 billion in trade a
day. In allocating more resources to keeping
it open, we need to make sure it doesn’t
come at the expense of our relations with
other parts of the world, especially in
Asia-Pacific.
The second
pressure resulting from the war is economic.
As American Ambassador Paul Cellucci noted
a few weeks ago, “Probably for Canada,
the priority is trade. For us, the priority
is security.” Canada’s economy
will be tested if more economies of the
West fall into recession. Although the war’s
economic impact may hopefully be less severe
than many people predicted, we can’t
ignore that much uncertainty remains about
the state of the world economy. The United
States is far and away the most important
component of the planet’s economic
engine; any further downturn in its economy
will have far and wide repercussions, including
in Canada. Asia-Pacific countries are also
exposed, where exports to the US account
for 5% of the region’s entire GDP.
The world
now also faces the economic and social uncertainty
generated by the onset of SARS. Here in
Canada, some private economists are predicting
alarming drops in growth forecasts by 1
to 2%.[iii] In Asia, the results could be
even worse. This week’s Economist has
mused that SARS could be China’s
Chernobyl.[iv]
The World Bank recently estimated that the
combined effect of SARS and the aftermath
of the war in Iraq are likely to knock almost
one-sixth off economic growth in Asia this
year.[v] SARS alone, according to the latest
issue of the Far Eastern Economic Review,
has already cost Asia $USD11 billion in
lost revenue – and this figure is rapidly
rising.[vi]
Finally,
and perhaps most importantly, such economic
anxiety adds to the potential for political
unrest fomented by the war in the Middle
East. The brevity of the war in Iraq by
no means reflects the veritable chasm of
misunderstanding between faiths and societies.
Some hitherto moderates in the Middle East
could be radicalized by the conflict; governments
in the region face the constant threat of destabilization. Faith-based opposition
to the aftermath of the war in Iraq could
play itself out violently in the streets
of capitals around the world. Asia-Pacific,
home to the world’s three largest Islamic
countries, four if one includes India, and
some of the most progressive Islamic governments
in the world, faces substantial threats
to its stability. Let’s not kid ourselves,
no country - including Canada - should consider
itself immune to this impact.
Ignoring
Asia-Pacific at our own peril
Given these
circumstances, Asia-Pacific is ignored at
our own peril. Ne pas tenir compte de l’Asie-Pacifique
est risqué. On trade, the region
represents an opportunity to diversify our
heavily slanted pattern. Undeniably, the
U.S. does - and always will - represent
our most important bilateral relationship.
The idea is not to reduce trade with any
of our current partners, but to ‘widen
the pie’ and expand opportunities in
a mammoth part of the world that has been
largely overlooked for too long. Canadian
businesses risk losing market share to faster
and more persistent movers, thereby missing
the opportunity to build the all-important
long-term relationships needed to succeed.
Doing business in Asia-Pacific is not for
everyone, but there are a lot more Canadian
success stories than most realize. We have
to convince Canadian business people that,
as Manulife CEO, Dominic D’Allesandro,
puts it, “it’s at least as attractive
to go East as it is to go South”. One
Canadian diplomat says much of the ‘70s
and ‘80s were characterized by Canadian
business communities pushing the government
to develop new markets. However, comfort
with North American markets, particularly
in provinces like Ontario where upwards
of 93% of its exports currently flow to
the U.S., has reversed the tide from ‘push’
to ‘pull’: in many areas our various
governments are now promoting opportunities
to the business community.
In the matter
of security, Asia-Pacific is of critical
importance. While much of the world’s
current focus is on Iraq, the DPRK should
never be far from anyone’s thoughts.
Although the Bush administration has said
repeatedly that it does not intend to attack,
the DPRK maintains it is a target. Last
week’s meetings in Beijing are hopefully
the start of process that maintains a de-nuclearized
Korean peninsula. It’s also no secret
that some terrorist groups, including al
Qaeda, have been associated with other parts
of the region.
Geopolitically,
Asia-Pacific could hardly be more important.
Nations include both developed and developing
countries, active participants in the war
in Iraq as well as vocal opponents, members
of the UN, NATO, ASEAN, the Commonwealth,
the Organization of Islamic Conference,
and the Non-Aligned Movement. The world’s
future over the next 50 years will be decided
to a very considerable degree by decisions
made in New Delhi and Beijing. Japan’s
economy is larger than that of all other
Asia-Pacific countries combined. Indonesia
is the largest Muslim country on earth.
Asianification
At a time
when some accuse Canada of having a fading
influence in the world, we need to be more
aware than ever of all opportunities within
our grasp. Canadians are more tied to Asia-Pacific
than ever before. As part of what I refer
to as Canada’s “Asianification”,
our population is increasingly linked through
immigration and education. Canada’s
existing and potential people to people
links are unparalleled almost anywhere in
the world. From Afghanistan to the South
Pacific, Mongolia to Australia, each Asia-Pacific
nation has its own community in Canada.
Our capacity for building human bridges
is enormous. Many see Vancouver itself as
the epitome of a North American Asia-Pacific
city. Over 60% of students in the Vancouver
school board, and half of UBC’s domestic
graduates don’t speak English at home!
We are, of
course, a nation of immigrants and our historical
immigration patterns have undoubtedly shaped
our approaches to both domestic and foreign
policy. There is little reason to believe
that the results of Canada’s “Asianification”
will be any different.
The faces
of Canada’s Parliament, legislatures,
city halls, boardrooms, classrooms and kitchen
tables are changing. Our head of state,
Governor General Adrienne Clarkson - one
of the most patriotic Canadians one could
ever meet - was an immigrant from Hong Kong.
Our policy of multiculturalism has encouraged
Canada’s diaspora communities to thrive.
As University of Toronto Professor, Michael
Szonyi, explains, new Canadians are now
“tied in complex and ever-changing
ways to their countries of origin, which
include some of the most dynamic economies
of the world, as well as some important
political hot-spots.”
Canada’s
Sri Lankan community is a good case-in-point.
As Sri Lanka continues along its currently
bumpy road towards peace after more than
two decades of war, Canada finds itself
in a unique position within the international
community. With over 200,000 Canadians of
Sri Lankan origin and the largest Tamil
diaspora in the world, we are expected to
be active supporters of the peace process
- both politically and through development
aid-and we are. As a government, we hope
to see members of the diaspora extolling
the benefits of federalism and the spirit
of compromise which has been the foundation
of Canada’s history as a nation.
Canadian
education has also served to forge ties
throughout Asia-Pacific for decades. Many
of the region’s government and business
leaders have been educated in Canada. With
so many students from Asia-Pacific countries
currently studying in Canada, we’re
set to leave a lasting influence on the
next generation of leaders as well - and
vice versa.
New Responsibilities
We have
an opportunity to expand our role in Asia-Pacific
and leverage our changing Asian face. Facing
us now, I would argue, is a new responsibility
to do so as well. More than ever, the world
needs bridge builders. As Canadians, we
have defined ourselves as proponents of
multilateralism and seekers of constructive
compromises. It is a matter of sharing experiences
and seeking common ground. Economic and
political transformations in many of Asia-Pacific’s
developing nations will be shaky and we
should be asking ourselves, ‘what can
and should we offer?’.
As a nation
serious about promoting justice for all,
peace, and the rule of law around the world,
we need to find more creative ways of dealing
with new problems. We must become more creative
in engaging with some countries-perhaps
adapting Norway’s low-key approach
more often.
One example
is the idea that a “community of democracies”
working together can help preserve and promote
democratic values around the world. I’ve
been fortunate enough to attend both ministerial
conferences on this subject. At the latest
one in November in Seoul, then President
Kim Dae-Jung of South Korea commented that
the greatest achievement of the 20th century
was helping democracy to take root and spread
across the planet. He noted, “Out of
200-odd countries in the world, 140 have
adopted a multi-party system.” Efforts
by Canadians at both the government and
‘grassroots’ level – such
as people like Gail Stewart and other members
of the Club of Rome – are making progress
here possible.
In my opinion,
one of the most unique roles that Canada
can play is to promote inter-faith understanding
and dialogue. The subject merited only a
short paragraph in the Foreign Policy Review
discussion paper, but is, in my mind, one
of the most important contributions Canada
can make in the Asia-Pacific region.
The power
of faiths to move peoples in many parts
of the world is increasing. A host of other
philosophies and political ideologies -
all the “isms” if you like - appear
to be discredited and are in any case now
unable to motivate large numbers of men
and women for long. As new democracies ‘find
themselves’ and emerging economies
finally blossom, a widespread fear is that
perceived religious and cultural divides
will deepen and widen.
Undoubtedly,
the ‘war on terrorism’ and the
one in Iraq will impact the West’s
relations with the Islamic world. Within
Canada, many remain unaware of the extent
to which peaceful Muslim communities around
the world feel they are under siege. Malaysian
Prime Minister Mahathir’s recent comment
that “An attack on Iraq is an attack
on Islam,” was immediately discounted
by many in the West, but was cheered in
many other parts of the world.
Our Foreign
Affairs Department recently asked Dr. Uner
Turgay, Director of Islamic Studies at McGill
University, to travel to some Asia-Pacific
countries to assess relations between Canada
and Muslim communities in South East Asia.
Upon his return, he reported that the Islamic
community in the region feels “under
siege” and described what he termed
an “intense lack of communication between
the West and the Islamic world.” As
a result of these findings, we are working
with Turgay on some follow-up projects,
including hosting roundtables and conferences
on this topic.
The need
for meaningful inter-faith dialogue is striking
- and growing daily. However bridges needed
are not limited to those between faiths
and religious institutions. Nor should they
be designed to flow in only one direction.
The greater the contacts between organizations,
people, cities, NGOs, parliamentarians and
more, the better.
Prime Minister
Chrétien has noted many times, “We
can talk to the world because we have the
world within our borders.” Not only
do we have the world inside our borders;
we have them living peacefully - working
and living side by side, teaching and learning
from each other. In my own constituency
in Edmonton Southeast, we have numerous
churches, two mosques, two gurdwaras and
a pagoda. With some very regrettable exceptions
(many post-September 11th), diverse communities
within Canada are demonstrating interfaith
understanding. We work together for the
security and prosperity of our country and
are eager to see Canada’s model of
peaceful and productive coexistence enjoyed
elsewhere, particularly in our myriad places
of origin.
Within Canada
itself, this remains a largely unexplored
concept. As a nation defined in part by
the separation of church and state in practice,
some are unsure of our capacity, and some
say ‘jurisdiction’, even to deal
with these issues. Unlike many of the governments
with which these discussions could take
place, we also lack an institutional structure
to do so. Fresh ideas on how to tackle this
are needed. I’m anxious to hear your
thoughts on how Canada could best set out
to play a bridging role.
Some of
the questions we are all asking ourselves
is how can we make better use of our hidden
“people to people” advantage?
How can we better exploit Vancouver as Canada’s
gateway to the rest of the region?
Ladies and
gentlemen, I hope I have been clear: Asia-Pacific
has never been more relevant to Canadians,
and vice versa.
Thank you
for giving me the opportunity to be here
today. I look forward to your comments and
questions.
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[i].Thomas
Friedman, “NATO’s New Front,”
The New York Times, Late Edition, Section
4, page 13, 30 March 2003.
[ii].Available
at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/monitor/issue01/02-immigrants.html
[iii].Terry
Weber, “SARS likely to hit economy,
Bank of Canada says,” Globe and Mail
Update, 23 April 2003; available at:
www.globeandmail.ca.
[iv]. “The
SARS Virus: Could it become China’s
Chernobyl?” The Economist, 26 April
2003.
[v].Cited
from: “Still Spreading,” The Economist
Global Agenda, 22 April, 2003; available
at: www.economist.com. Also available at:
“China Seals off Major Beijing Hospital,”
BBC News Online, 24 April 2003, www.bbc.co.uk
[vi]. Trish
Saywell, Geoffrey Fowler, & Shawn
Crispin,
“The Cost of SARS: $11 Billion and
Rising,” Far Eastern Economic Review,
24 April 2003, 12-16.
-30-
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