Strengthening the Democratic Spirit

Remarks by Hon. David Kilgour

Canadian Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

and Member of Parliament (Edmonton Southeast)

Government Palace

At the 5th International Conference on New or Restored Democracies

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

10 September, 2003

Check against delivery

Mr. Chairman and fellow delegates,

On behalf of the Canadian delegation, I must not say another word without wishing a speedy and full recovery to the dear friend of democracy, Anna Lindh, the Swedish Foreign Minister.  Our Swedish colleagues here indicate that that she is one of the most respected parliamentarians in Sweden; that she is the mother of two small children; that she has no regular security; and that they see this as a direct assault on Sweden's celebrated open society.  The hearts and prayers of all of us go out to Ms. Lindh, her husband and children, and to the Swedish people generally.

The Canadian delegation thanks the Mongolian government and the UNDP for their superb organization of this important event.  Could there be a more appropriate country than Mongolia to act as host?   The renowned people of this beautiful land turned to democracy thirteen years ago with the conviction that citizens should own and run their government, not vice versa.  Mongolia's successes, described eloquently yesterday by its President and Prime Minister, testify to the strength of this national conviction.

The Democratic Spirit

What of the democratic endeavour generally?  Commenting on his own country's new found freedom, President-elect Vaclav Havel of then Czechoslovakia once asked:

"From where did [Czechoslovakia's] young people ... take their desire for truth, their love of free thought, their political ideas, their civic courage and civic prudence?" i

Does the answer for all of us not lie in the human desire everywhere to choose the types of societies we want to build ourselves: ones grounded on the values of human dignity for all, including the disabled, liberty, and the rule of law?

Democracy is generally flourishing.  At no time in history, (UN Secretary General) Kofi Annan's message reminded us yesterday, has it been so widespread, but there is no room for complacency. Democracy is a difficult process.  Democrats everywhere know that there is no perfect model.  But is it not in this very difficulty and imperfection that the strengths of democracies emerge?  It is in learning from each other -- new, restored and traditional democracies alike -- that we improve the systems that some have enjoyed for centuries; and others, like our host, are consolidating.

We must accept that all of us have an interest in strengthening democracy everywhere.  The challenges in doing so are too great for any one country to tackle itself.  This is why Canada works with its partners to support democratic development through the UN, the G8, NEPAD in Africa, the Commonwealth, la Francophonie, and the Organization of American States.  The newly established International Criminal Court has an important role to play in this regard as well.

Instruments of Democracy

A genuinely democratic culture thrives on diversity, inclusion, peaceful dissent, education for all, vibrant civil societies, NGOs, and volunteers, and the widest possible ownership of homes, farms, and enterprises, including the media. 

The rule of law is, I believe, essential for authentic democracy.  Where there is meaningful rule of law, judges at every level must be truly independent of the executive and legislative branches.  Does this not require long-term if not essentially life-time appointments until retirement?  Otherwise, how can judges be expected to make fair decisions in cases involving the executive branch?   It probably also means relatively high salaries by a country's standards to avoid both corruption and the appearance of it.  Does it not mean a judicial culture of not being afraid to find against the executive in criminal, tax and other cases? 

A democracy's strength must be measured in terms broader than the transparency and inclusiveness of its elections.  Other instruments are vital as well: for example, the use of ombudspersons, ethics and privacy commissioners, truly independent commissions against corruption, committees scrutinizing regulatory measures, and much more.  Each democracy's use of such instruments must be observed in its own unique context.   The types will vary but their purposes -- participation, accountability, transparency, human rights, the rule of law -- will remain the same.

Civil Society

Democracy can only thrive in an open and inclusive civil society.  Mongolia's success in building democracy is in part due to its vibrant civil society, where, as we heard yesterday, there is now approximately one NGO for every thousand citizens.  

Canada welcomes the impressive program of deliberations and successful outcome of the International Civil Society Forum held earlier this week.  The forum has also taken promising steps to launch a follow-up mechanism for international civil society, including a permanent secretariat and a program of national, international and regional actions.   As government representatives, our deliberations will only lead to concrete progress if we support the government of Mongolia in its follow-up mechanism to this conference. 

The Spirit of Democracy 

To conclude, perhaps the most important lesson we have learned from our struggle to help democracy flourish it is that no one can be complacent.   We must be resolute in our struggle against those factors that threaten the foundations of democracy everywhere, particularly poverty, corruption and unemployment.  Similarly, in our fight against global terrorism, we cannot surrender any root of our democratic foundations. 

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, we need to ensure that the culture and spirit of democracy endures and blossoms.  President Havel, whom I quoted at the outset, indicated that there is more to democracy than institutions and instruments. Democracy, for example, is not only for adults; its spirit should be nurtured at a young age.  Children, as UNICEF argues, are good for democracy and it is, or should be, good for them.  

Stephen Leacock, a well-known Canadian author wrote:

"... we must remember that no code or social legislation, no written law, can of itself guarantee true democracy and preserve liberty. The spring can rise no higher than its source. Democracy must continue to be fed from the altitude of the high ideals that founded it. ... Democracy is a spirit." ii

Through gatherings such as this one, I am confident that all of us here will continue to strengthen the spirit of democracy around the world.

Merci. Thank you.

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i Vaclav Havel, "A Contaminated moral environment," in The Penguin Book of Twentieth-Century Speeches (London: Penguin, 1999), pp. 471.