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Justice & Equity
NGOs to Paul Martin: Use Throne Speechto Set
Out Bold New Direction for Canadian Foreign Policy
Based on Global Justice and Equity
January 28, 2004
Canada should
build a foreign policy for global justice, peace and equity. That
should be the message in Prime Minister Paul Martin's first Speech
from the Throne. The Canadian Council for International Co-operation
(CCIC), Canada's coalition to end global poverty, calls on the government
to carve out a unique role for Canada on the international stage.
Martin, as recently
as last week in Davos for the World Economic Forum, has said that
there is a "need to make the practice of politics more effective
at the international level so that the benefits of global interdependence
can be spread more fairly."
CCIC has outlined
four international initiatives where Canada can truly make a difference
in the world. "Towards a Canadian Foreign Policy for Global
Justice and Equity", CCIC's foreign policy brief, calls
on the government to address global poverty, the democratic deficit,
inequity and insecurity. In particular to:
- Work better
together by pushing for reform of several key global institutions
including the UN, World Bank and WTO;
- Show leadership
to end poverty by achieving the Millennium Development Goals;
- Choose peace
by retooling our military with a focus on peacekeeping; and
- Include citizens'
voices by building participation into democratic reform.
"The federal
government has a unique opportunity to create a new role for Canada
on the international stage," says Gerry Barr CCIC's President-CEO.
"We hope that Paul Martin's stated commitment to international
co-operation, peace and prosperity will be front and centre in the
Throne Speech and lead to concrete action on some of the world's most
pressing problems. It's time for the Prime Minister to say at home
what he has recently been saying abroad."
For more information contact:
Katia Gianneschi
Media Relations
Canadian Council for International Co-operation
(613) 241-7007 ext. 311
katiag@ccic.ca
Download
"Towards a Canadian Foreign Policy for Global Justice and
Equity"
Full
Brief 
(PDF file, 329
kb)
Key
Message
(PDF file, 170
kb)
