I, too, will answer in English. I apologize.
First, does Canada have the credibility to lead such an initiative? You pointed to an area where maybe Canada might not have credibility. As someone from outside Canada who is very engaged in the international diplomatic process at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, I would say that Canada has credibility. It has credibility because of some of the very positive roles it has played in such things as the right to protect and the Ottawa process for a land mines convention.
It does have the respect. At times it can step up to the plate and lead on something that can be successful. I would say, though, that in leadership on this issue of nuclear weapons, Canada would not be alone. If Canada stepped up and took leadership, there would be many other countries that would be ready to join.
Secondly, what role could Canada play? I'd point to a positive initiative that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade hosted in 2002, which was a conference on the legal and technical elements for a nuclear-weapons-free world. It was based on the model nuclear weapons convention.
It was a small initiative, hosted here in Ottawa, but it was very helpful to outline some of those aspects in the model convention. It helped to improve the model convention, and it helped give Ban Ki-moon some of the confidence that the model was strong enough to go forward.
That was very good on the legal and technical aspects, but that initiative did not deal with the political aspects. I think Canada has a role on both the technical and political sides. On the technical side, the expertise and verification, and also the very positive relationship that Canada has with the United States, could help pave the way for developing cooperative verification mechanisms required to achieve a nuclear-weapons-free world.
On the political side, I think Canada has a role. Canada is under an extended nuclear deterrence doctrine, but it is committed to a nuclear-weapons-free world. It can help those other countries that are also under extended nuclear deterrence doctrine look at the steps to moving toward a nuclear-weapons-free world and the security mechanisms and approaches that will be required.