Check Against Delivery
· Sayed Mohammed Rizvi.
· Thank you, Ernest (Ernest Tannis, moderator). And thank you for acting as our moderator this evening - you've done a great job.
· I'm pleased to be here on behalf of Anne McLellan, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. I appreciate the opportunity to wrap up this session with some thoughts of my own, as well as some messages from the Government of Canada. First, however, I want to acknowledge all of the effort that has gone into this forum.
· Many organizations and individuals have worked together to make this event a success, but I especially want to acknowledge Salma Siddiqui and the Circle of Canadians.
· As you may know, Salma is a member of the Cross-Cultural Roundtable Marc Whittingham spoke about earlier, and she has been a real leader in reaching out to ethno-cultural communities. So thank you, Salma, not only for building bridges between faith communities but also for providing an open environment where youth can speak out about issues of concern to them.
· I also want to thank the representatives of the different faith organizations
for taking the time to be here and for sharing their knowledge and insight
with us. Keeping the lines of communication open between various cultural
and faith groups, as well as between citizens and government, is critical
to sustaining the Canadian values of openness, respect, compassion and understanding
we all share.
· Most importantly, I want to thank all of the young people here this evening - not only those who participated in the panel but also those in the audience who came to listen, learn and share their own viewpoints. As the next generation of Canadian leaders, your attitudes and your ideas will shape the future of our country. And it's clear from your comments tonight that you share a vision of a peaceful, respectful society.
· I'm sure most of you read last week about a new survey that shows that Canadians want the government to be tough on terrorism. But at the same time, a strong majority of Canadians are worried that some anti-terrorism measures could lead to abuses of the rights of ethnic minority communities, particularly those from Arab or Islamic countries.
· Achieving the right balance between individual liberty and collective security is a challenge our Government faces on a day-to-day basis. The made-in Canada approach we are implementing through the National Security Policy acknowledges the diversity of our country and aims for a society where no one feels singled out - or left out.
· Protecting the safety and security of Canadians is a top priority for our Government, and we have acted on many fronts. In taking action, however, we always consider how national security measures might impact the rights of different groups and individuals, particularly those who feel caught in the struggle against terrorism.
· However, security is a shared responsibility between the Government and Canadians.
· It's important that we hear directly from people about how we are doing to understand how our policies are affecting Canadians in both intended and unintended ways, and to learn what we could or should be doing differently.
· It's also important that we hear from Canadians about how they can contribute to Canada's security. This is particularly relevant for the young people of Canada who are the future of the country and are expected to shape the society we live in.
· For example, the London bombings this summer demonstrate the importance of outreach and understanding. It has become apparent that the primary agents of those attacks grew up in Britain.
· This means that we must reach out to second and third generation youth of all backgrounds, and engage them on an ongoing basis.
· The engagement fostered by the Roundtable and other outreach initiatives can help to build trust with our citizens, help us to improve legislation, and remind us of the impact this legislation can have on the lives of those in communities most affected by it.
· That's why we have been supporting events like this one across Canada.
· The Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security is playing an important role in this regard. As you heard earlier this evening, the Roundtable encourages and facilitates dialogue between those who make and implement Canada's national security policies, and Canadians who are concerned with their consequences, whether those are positive or negative. As such, it is a key element of Canada's National Security Policy.
· The members of the Roundtable have been fanning out across the country to speak with and listen to local community groups, associations and academics, to ensure that their specific concerns and suggestions are heard in their regions. Through events like this one, the Roundtable is doing a great job of engaging communities on security?related issues.
· As part of this community engagement, Prime Minister Paul Martin met with Imams in Toronto last July in response to 120 Imams in Canada denouncing violence and the harming of innocent victims. He listened to their concerns as they spoke of the challenges they face in their communities. One thing that came out of this meeting is that it is important that we encourage Imams to enhance their dialogue with youth.
· On its side, the Government of Canada can help by clearly explaining its policies, and by responding when it faces legitimate criticism of those policies. We are doing this and will continue to find better ways to do this.
· Federal departments and agencies involved in the public safety and security area are reaching out to religious and ethno-cultural communities.
· The RCMP, for example, has met with representatives of various communities
to seek input on their policies.
· The Canada Border Services Agency is consulting with various communities on its new Fairness Initiative, aimed at ensuring that all Canadians and visitors to Canada are treated fairly when crossing our border or in any other dealings with the Agency.
· And the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service is consulting with many of these same communities to develop a more structured approach to understanding the concerns that Canadians have about its work.
· The common thread linking all of these initiatives is our belief that civic engagement is crucial to a more effective and less intrusive approach to fighting terrorism and building safer communities. We need to engage all Canadians, including - and perhaps especially - youth, in an ongoing dialogue on this vital aspect of our national life.
· The result of that dialogue, I believe, will be improved understanding and harmonious relations between the diverse communities that are the strength of Canada. The result of that dialogue - as we learned tonight - will be a rejection of political and religious extremism and the hatred and violence it engenders.
· Violence, at its most basic level, is a failure of dialogue. Violence does not solve problems or right past wrongs - it only fosters more violence, deepens wounds and entrenches negative and false stereotypes.
· What is occurring in France as we speak is an example
of mistrust and failed dialogue that grows out of challenging social conditions
and injustice, or at the very least, the perception of injustice.
· So how should young people go about becoming civically engaged and participating fully in this dialogue? How do you make your voices heard, and how can you influence decisions that affect your lives and your future?
· Well, for starters, by participating in events such as this one, and encouraging your peers to do the same. The next time you attend a session like this, why not bring along one or two acquaintances who might not otherwise be inclined to participate? The wider the dialogue - the more people we can reach - the stronger and more effective our message of peace, harmony and respect will be.
· Better yet, organize your own events to oppose violence and extremism. Be creative - what young people lack in experience they more than make up for in enthusiasm, creativity and the courage of their convictions. Those are your strengths, and I encourage you to use them.
· And if you're organizing an event, please don't hesitate to invite government. If we can provide a guest speaker, sit on a panel or support you in other ways, we will.
· If you're not inclined or able to organize group activities,
take the time to write a letter or send an e-mail to your Member of Parliament,
to a Minister of the Government, or even to the Prime Minister. Let leaders
and decision makers in your own community know what you think.
· Exercise your right to vote. I suspect that most of you already do that - it strikes me that if you would take the time to attend an event like this one, you probably wouldn't miss the chance to make your voice heard at the ballot box.
· If you're inclined to get involved civically, why not work on an election campaign? Or volunteer your time with a youth organization or a campus group. There is plenty of mistrust and misunderstanding in society today - what we need more of is people like you to sow the seeds of understanding and respect.
· Each and every one of you made a choice to be here
this evening. So I would encourage you to make another important choice -
to reach out to others within your circle of friends and acquaintances, and
within your schools and wider communities; to engage your peers in finding
solutions to the problems we face in our communities.
· Ethno-cultural communities are integral to Canada's social and economic fabric. Their voices must be heard - including the voices of youth - as we work together to promote a peaceful and safe society.
· This evening's event has been only one opportunity to discuss issues that concern us all. I have listened to your thoughts and ideas, and can assure you that we are always interested in hearing your recommendations for keeping this dialogue alive. We will do our best to continue to reach out to you.
· On behalf of the Honourable Anne McLellan and the Government
of Canada, thank you again for being here this evening and for contributing
to this ongoing dialogue. Let this ripple become a wave in a sea of improved
dialogue and understanding.