28 April 2003
The Honorable Bill Graham, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Room 418-N, Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 992-5234
Fax: (613) 996-9607
A Dialogue on Foreign Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Dear Minister,
This letter is in response to your recent call for dialogue on Canadian foreign policy. First, I would like to preface my response to your call by reiterating a few facts about Canada. This national dialogue and many other broad-based democratic initiatives of Canadian government are collectively contributing to Canada s newly emerging image as an independent modern democratic society. By virtue of its dynamic cultural texture, Canada is increasingly recognized by the UN and it s member states as a model of civil society where Canadians share many common values, such as tolerance, coexistence, and a genuine commitment to democracy and global peace and prosperity. Regarding my contribution to the dialogue on Canadian foreign policy I have a few ideas which are outlined below.
Unlike the current US administration, which allows its foreign policy to be driven by rookie journalist and speechwriters who are in pursuit of quick fame, Canadian foreign policy has been based on the notion of a "global community" and participatory internationalism. This noble approach to foreign policy is designed to maintain the rule of law and strengthen world peace. This Canadian tradition has been in place for decades and should be invigorated. Majority of the Canadians believe that fundamentals of foreign policy are no different from those of the domestic politics which reflects a commitment to democracy, justice, order and the rule of law, good governance, accountability and equal right to success and prosperity.
In setting Canadian foreign policy it is imperative to recognize that ordinary Canadians not only ask what kind of Canada, but what kind of global community do we want to live in? To this effect majority of Canadians who like to see Canada as a just and egalitarian prosperous modern civil society realize that national democracy and independence would be meaningless without international order, the rule of law and collective security and peace.
The recent decision of Canadian government to stay out of the Anglo-American military operation in the Near East is a clear evidence of the above ideals which reject unilaterlaism and strongly support the rule of law. This internationalist approach to foreign policy justifies Canada s desire to pursue global democracy and peace and actively forging links with other countries. This active participation in international affairs and pursuit of rule of law and moving on multiple fronts to promote economic, cultural and scientific cooperation will allow Canada to exert its leverage for reform, openness, democracy and fresh political dynamics in many troubled regions of the globe. This is particularly relevant in the case of countries that for decades were victims of the cold war rivalry between the superpowers. It is no secret that the superpower s rivalry and their notorious policy of "regional containment" were collectively responsible for the creation of some of the most dangerous political demons that are still hunting innocent lives and endangering global peace and security. With the end of the cold war and the release of declassified information, it has become common knowledge that the seeds of authoritarian regimes and radical ethno-religious movements in many satellite and frontline countries of the East and West were sown during the cold war. Currently, the US government, as the only remaining superpower has inherited much of these evil legacies of the cold war. Unfortunately, rather than seeking guidance and advice of credible civil societies such as Canada, the US administration has chosen to unilaterally identify quick fixes for these legacies of the cold war.
It is for this reason that the silent majority in Canada and elsewhere, including the US itself, have lost confidence in the current US administration s ability to resolve these global issues unilaterally. Many of the current misunderstandings and international crisis can be prevented by promoting more openness, ongoing dialogue among nations. Canada, by virtue of its unique multicultural social texture and its dynamic kinship with many countries is well positioned to promote international dialogue to advance confidence building, peace and global security. To achieve these, Canada should continue its efforts to help revitalize the international system which is ultimately needed for ensuring a sustainable global democracy and peace. To do so, Canada needs to move step by step-working with willing partners, building coalitions and gradually expanding the circle of cooperation. Just as modern corporate entities rely on integration of networks, our multicultural social texture would enable Canada to establish mutually reinforcing agreements to promote free trade, openness, democracy, international rule of law and global security. The debate is now over how not whether Canada should continue advancing the cause of international order and rule of law.
To operationalize this, the Canadian apparatus for foreign policy must become more open, inclusive and democratic. To expand the current spectrum of Canadian apparatus for foreign policy, Canadian government must establish safety mechanisms which would allow infusion of fresh and balanced ideas. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to encourage and facilitate the appointment of highly educated recent Canadians to the Senate and national committees specializing in foreign policy. Despite their significant dedication and positive contribution to Canadian prosperity, most of these highly educated new Canadians are under represented in the aforementioned apparatus of Canadian foreign policy. As you know very well, Canadians of Iranian origin constitute one of the highly educated and cosmopolitan groups of newly established Canadians that are very committed to Canada as a modern democratic and egalitarian society. Unfortunately, due to recent rehtorics of the conservative elements within the current US administration, this group of dedicated Canadians have been vilified by paranoid and inexperience administrators and kept away from active participation and contribution to Canada s foreign policy.
In closing, I believe Canada should actively promote more dialogue, openness, rule of law and confidence building by moving forward in multiple fronts, such as free trade, cultural and scientific cooperation with developing wold. This active participation will create more opportunities for Canadians and enhance Canada s global leadership. Furthermore, making Canadian foreign policy apparatus more representative and inclusive will prevent it from becoming diverted by partisan politics. The paranoia of conservative elements and their display of protectionism and zero-sum approach to cooperation would ultimately lead to isolationism and total political dependence of Canada old Europe or US. Canada needs to bring in fresh ideas and work actively with progressive Americans, Europeans and developing countries in order to resolve shared issues and threats. Today s globe demands a rational approach to a new enviro-political order which is based on collective imagination and wisdom. It is only through this collective approach that we will be able to continue discoveries of the unknown and achievement of an enduring peace and collective security. Based on our current wisdom and understanding of the global system, the alternative is much bleaker and unsustainable
I trust this is useful,
Sincerely,
Hamid Jorjani, Ph.D.
622 Brome Cr.
Orleans, Ontario
K4A 1T9
(613) 834-6344 |
