First, I just want to thank all the witnesses for testifying.
Certainly, Ms. Ravon, thanks to you for the work that Oxfam does and to all of the people involved in Oxfam for the humanitarian work that they do to save lives every day. I really appreciate it.
I'm going to follow up on Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe. He talked about the important role Canada played when it came to stability, security, human rights and peacebuilding. We think about Lester B. Pearson. He won a Nobel Peace Prize.
There's actually a Peace Train Canada group leaving from the west coast and coming to Ottawa in November. They're calling for the restoration of a Pearson peace centre—for it to reopen. It played an important role in developing capacity and having conversations. People from as far away as Bamfield and Port Alberni, in my community, are coming. Their vision is:
That Canada becomes an independent, middle power [again] that is invested in...promoting a culture of peace and resisting the culture of war....
They cite a few things:
Recognizing Canada’s historical and present involvement in injustice, colonialism, and asymmetrical power structures, here and abroad, and working towards true reconciliation;
Identifying the underlying causes of [human conflict and] violent conflict;
Upholding the UN Declaration of Human Rights: the basics of justice, equality, freedom, security, and well-being for all, as essential for preventing violent conflict and war;
Expanding Canada's role in United Nations peacekeeping....
Prioritizing open and informed public and parliamentary debate....
They call on the government to:
...establish and fund a Centre of Excellence for Peace and Justice focused on research, education, and training in conflict resolution, diplomacy, and peace operations for Canadian civilians, police, military personnel, and the international community.
Do you think this would be important for us to look toward?