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Occasional and Commissioned Papers

Celebrating a Century of Canada–IPU Collaboration
2

Selected Key Themes Addressed in IPU Assemblies

Diversity and Representative Democracy

For parliamentary democracies to remain relevant, the various groups in society must be equitably defended and represented within them. We must strive for truly inclusive parliaments and greater civic engagement so that all members of society have an equal opportunity to participate in the political decision-making process, regardless of their background or identity. — Senator Donald H. Oliver, 2011

In 2012 (city of Québec), the IPU will hold a special debate on the theme of citizenship, identity and linguistic and cultural diversity. This topic was chosen by the Canadian IPU Group in light of Canada’s long history of promoting diversity and equality. Canadian delegates at successive IPU assemblies have spoken about diversity as a source of strength and stability and have vigorously advocated for representative democracy.

Strength and Stability

In 1992 (Yaoundé), Canada submitted both a memorandum and a draft resolution on the functioning of democracy and the expression of ethnic diversity as a means of ensuring stability. The memorandum states that a democracy that allows for the peaceful expression of ethnic diversity encourages all citizens, regardless of ethnic origins, to develop their skills and become active members of society. This not only builds greater political and social stability; it also improves the prospects for economic development. Similarly, in 2000 (Amman), the Canadian Group submitted both a memorandum and a draft resolution that stressed that diversity is a source of strength and nourishes culture.

In any discussion of culture, it is important to use a broad-based notion that encompasses language, human rights, human expression, ideas, values, histories, tradition and religion as expressed through a wide range of creative means including literature, film, visual arts, music and dance. Furthermore, the creative spirit is nourished by the interaction of people of different cultural, linguistic, racial, religious and national heritages. Thus, the diversity of mankind can be a source of strength rather than a cause for division. — Karen Redman, MP, 2000

In 2009 (Addis Ababa), Senator Donald H. Oliver emphasized that diversity was an important topic for debate because, in light of the global financial crisis, countries could not afford to have people not contributing to the economy because of their religion, gender or skin colour. He noted that diverse and inclusive societies attracted the best talents, and that countries that were tolerant would be the most successful in the years to come.

Representation

Over the years, Canadian IPU delegates have spoken strongly for the protection of minorities and representative democracy. In a speech prepared for the 1925 Conference (Ottawa), Senator Napoléon-Antoine Belcourt praised the principles of the Magna Carta as “essential … [for] general application throughout the whole civilized world” and fundamental to the protection of minorities.

In 1992 (Stockholm), Senator Peter Bosa stressed that the test of democracy was the way in which a country treated its minorities. That same year in Yaoundé, Kenneth David Atkinson, MP, said during the plenary debate: “True democracy … recognizes the universal and equal application of the law and the existence of basic human rights which take precedence over the interests of the state. In this way, discrimination against women, disabled persons, minority races and ethnic groups is held in check.” For her part, Marlene Catterall, MP, stated in 1997 (Cairo) that “parliament must be relevant by ensuring equality of representation of all people. The representation of women is very important both by itself and because it reflects the representation of other minorities.

Image of a banner, titled Faces of the World, produced in 2010 by a group of Grade 8 students from Brampton, Ontario, on the theme of diversity

Les visages du monde Gracieuseté de la Commission de la capitale nationale

Delegates at IPU assemblies have regularly noted the success of Canada’s policy on multiculturalism. For example, in 1996 (Beijing), Senator Peter Bosa pointed out that among the six Canadian delegates, two of them, Senator Consiglio Di Nino and himself, were born in Italy; Herb Dhaliwal, MP, was born in India; Janko Peric, MP, was born in Croatia; Sue Barnes, MP, was born in Malta; and Pauline Picard, MP, was born in Canada. He later stated: “I think there was no bigger and no more effective display of what composes the Canadian multicultural society than the delegation that went to Beijing.” Similarly, Senator Salma Ataullahjan recalled that when the Canadian Group spoke in Bern in 2011 to promote the upcoming assembly in the city of Québec, “we were so many different colours on stage, yet we stood there representing one nation.”

Senator Oliver has been a long-time advocate for representative democracy. In 2006 (Nairobi), he noted a growing trend towards democracy, as evidenced among nations of diverse cultures and histories. He added, however, that there was a danger of taking it for granted. It was thus necessary to promote it both in transition countries and also where it was already well established. In Kampala (2012), the Senator spoke, during the general debate, about Canada’s pluralistic and multicultural society and stressed that parliamentarians must strive to represent all citizens in all their diversity.

Voter Participation

In 1928 (Berlin), Senator Belcourt stated that governments cannot effectively meet the needs and aspirations of a democratic society unless there is strong participation by a well-informed electorate. He noted that only “fifty per cent of the electors in democratic countries take the trouble to cast a vote in parliamentary elections. ... [T]he electorate has been given the privilege to vote without acquiring a sufficient appreciation of the importance of the vote, and of the duty to exercise it, and in consequence is incapable of making a judicious choice of representatives.

More recently, Canadian delegates have pointed out that parliaments must represent all age groups and that greater efforts must be made to reach young people. For example, in 2010 (Bangkok), Senator Dennis Dawson said that Canada prided itself on being an historic pillar of participatory democracy, but it was nonetheless facing a decline in voter participation in all elections, particularly among first-time voters, whose disaffection perhaps stemmed from lack of interest or lack of time. The end result was that the electoral machine focused on communicating with the older generation of more reliable voters through such traditional methods as television and newspapers, as opposed to the Internet and its more youth-oriented social networking sites. Senator Dawson also noted that few countries encouraged Internet voting, yet it was associated with the wider participation of young people in the democratic process. The use of new media to boost voter participation was therefore a challenge that governments must actively address.


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