The Francophonie Summit - and Canada
Well, how about it? A Canadian prime minister who has the internal fortitude, the resolve, the moral underpinnings and ethical standards to deliver a message with real meaning and intent. How refreshing. How different. How good it is to feel that Canada is finally standing tall and square.Why has it taken so long? Why have successive Liberal governments mouthed the words of concern over world affairs, but done nothing concrete about them? The middle road. That exemplifies Canada's participation in world affairs, in her observations and conclusions; take the middle road. Something like fence-sitting, but not quite - close, though. This way no one is offended. We're kindly thought of, universally, since we take no definite stand.
We've done some pretty good things lately, where we have taken definite stands; like spurring the countries of the United Nations to join a movement to spurn the use of explosive devices meant to cause collateral damage: land mines. Canada has proudly, and with justification, brought forward a motion which was accepted, that the United Nations could and should intervene where a country's internal abuse of portions of its population results in an untenable situation akin to genocide.
So we're the good kids on the block. We like to think of ourselves as sincere and focussed on the public weal. Unfortunately, too often when it comes to the crunch our words drift uselessly on the wind since they're too often unequal to the situation at hand, or unsupported by direct and unequivocal action.
Here now is a Prime Minister (argh! a Reform/Alliance/Conservative!) who has pledged Canada to move in a new direction, to take up a refreshingly new place in world affairs, where we speak with honour and dedication to the service of humanity. No dodging, no prevarication, tell it like it is. Urge concern to reflect our own upon others uncertain of their response; create workable alliances of like-minded, justice-seeking entities.
Thus it was that Stephen Harper challenged the international community to pledge themselves to greater efforts in the aid of Sudan's Darfur region. How many more poor black farmers have to die, women raped, millions left homeless, to satisfy the government of Sudan and their janjaweed henchmen before the United Nations steps beyond timidity and insists it no longer requires the agreement of the Sudanese government to intervene?
"We must all act to save a desperate population, it's the responsibility to protect," Mr. Harper said in his address to the Francophonie summit and its 63 member-nations. "We want to promote justice reforms, rebuild a security framework, reduce the traffic of weapons and reinforce government institutions and community life."He mentioned Canada's work in Haiti, in Afghanistan, and his intention to go beyond military measures to achieve the needed stability there. What was particularly satisfying to many was that Prime Minister Harper refused to sanction a motion put forward by the collective that offered condolences to the population of Lebanon for the losses they suffered during the Israel-Lebanon war, insisting that the motion must also include reference to the losses suffered by Israel.
How's that for fairness, steadfastness and probity?
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, October 04, 2006
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