Madam Speaker, it is frustrating to hear some of the debate going around the House and have inadequate time to respond today. I was most disturbed by the comments made by the Reform Party with regard to Rwanda and Haiti. For a party that is supposed to represent the interests of the Canadian people it is no wonder it is plunging in the polls today.
If the Reform Party had looked carefully it would understand from polls that have been done recently moral and ethical considerations are considered by Canadians the way that they would judge priorities in the world. They put Rwanda and Haiti at the top of the list. At the bottom of the list they put self-interest. I am quite appalled that the Reform Party bases its foreign policy on self-interest.
Canada's support to the United Nations and our commitment to peacekeeping remain strong. Our reputation worldwide for balanced and fair diplomacy, humanitarian and determined confidence building initiatives such as peacekeeping and our commitment to global peace and development all give Canada influence much beyond what our economy and population size would suggest is possible.
Canada must not squander the opportunities our reputation presents both for our own good and the good of the world. Canada does not earn this reputation through playing the role of the belligerent, unfortunately necessary as this role might seem to be from time to time. It is peacekeeping, the role so strongly associated with Canada, that earns us our enviable reputation and thus influence in the world.
However important peacekeeping is to Canada's foreign policy and defence policy, it is costly. We must continue in our role as peacekeepers but constantly look at less costly alternatives such as early warning systems, conflict prevention, management and resolution.
Granted, important initiatives are already being taken in this area by Canada and others around the world, thereby warding off the crises the public never hears about.
The government will continue to follow up good ideas and recommendations with diplomatic initiatives. An example of Canada's initiatives in this area of policy is our decision to send Bernard Dussault to consult in and around Rwanda not only to find appropriate and timely solutions to the crisis situation in Rwanda but also to address the political difficulties in Burundi, Zaire and the refugee problems in other countries in the region.
In the development of our strategy for Haiti Canada has been fully conscious of the need for a long term strategy to not only return democracy to Haiti through peacekeeping but to build and strengthen the institutions needed to support and sustain it in the long run.
I would wish that all members in this House had been able to accompany me to visit President Aristide in Washington last week to see the very warm reception that he gave to our Minister of Foreign Affairs and his effusive thanks for the leadership role that Canada has taken on the issue of Haiti and his return to Haiti to head a democratically elected government there which he represents.
Our role fits into a broad historic approach that Canada has taken to peacekeeping and emphasizes the contribution to be made to that category of international peace operations that the Secretary General of the United Nations has characterized as peace building.
Once President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is returned to power in Haiti, under the terms of Governors Island agreement and UN resolution 940, Canada will participate in the United Nations mission in Haiti, UNMIH, by providing up to 600 military and 100 police personnel. Canada will assume a particular responsibility in police training and supervision.
Altogether UNMIH will assume the task of maintaining a secure environment which will provide the necessary foundation upon which to begin efforts aimed at establishing a durable and lasting democratic system in Haiti.
These are daunting objectives that will require a long term commitment. It is important to remember that we will remain in Haiti for the long haul. Establishing the foundations of a civil society in a country whose population has been numbed by years of desperate poverty, brutal violence and repression is an enormous challenge.
We have to build from the bottom up by providing assistance with basic education and literacy training, agriculture and health care and by creating employment opportunities that will put in motion the wheels of a healthy economy. The success of these initiatives is only possible when the political environment is secure and stable.
Our aid program has and will continue to reinforce these objectives through the provision of assistance to the development of civil society and good governance, including the respect for human rights in Haiti.
Our contribution to Rwanda has also been significant, initiated well before the conflict escalated in April. Canada provided the chief military observer to the first UN mission on the Uganda-Rwanda border. We fully supported the Arusha peace agreement providing for power sharing and integration of the armed forces.
The force commander for the UN mission assigned to oversee the implementation of this agreement was our Canadian hero Major General Romeo Dallaire. Through a coherent strategy formulated by the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Defence and the Canadian International Development Agency, Canada has also made a significant contribution to the peacekeeping and humanitarian relief effort in Rwanda through the provision of medical experts, engineers and the ongoing airborne delivery of essential supplies. Assistance from multilateral and non-governmental aid organizations working on the ground has been invaluable.
In taking these initiatives to establish lasting peace and stability in Rwanda Canada is clearly focused on the task. Rwanda must have an acceptable, broad based government in power. It badly needs a functioning infrastructure, basic services such as water and electricity. The thousands of displaced refugees must return to their homes as soon a possible. These are all objectives of our peacekeeping mission in Rwanda.
Given the difficult circumstances peacekeepers have played an indisputably critical role under the steady and courageous leadership of Major General Romeo Dallaire and now Major General Tousignant. Peacekeeping must be broadened by committed political activities that do more than keep the warring factions apart. We must be proactive to build the institutional pillars of a peaceful and secure society and to assist Rwandan citizens to experience their fullest human capacities.
In our debate today we have to address the important issues of our extended peacekeeping role throughout the world in light of limited resources for peacekeeping. I am attempting to convey that despite our limited capacity to continue to respond to every crisis in the world Canada can continue to have an effective voice through concerted efforts to not only prevent conflict from erupting but in maintaining our commitment to fragile states once the peacekeeping phase is over. Peace building and conflict prevention are much less costly than war and crisis responses.
I cannot finish these remarks without a particular acknowledgement of the basic component of our peacekeeping effort, our peacekeepers, our Canadian Blue Berets. Canada would not have the enviable reputation for peacekeeping it has were it not for the professionalism, skill and discipline of our peacekeepers. Canada cannot take part in peacekeeping without our soldiers having the best training and adequate equipment and material support meeting the best standards for the protection of our soldiers and assuring that they have all the necessary tools to succeed in the task.
We must be grateful, as I am, for the women and men who volunteer to serve Canada as part of our important peacekeeping missions; grateful to them and their families for their sacrifice in helping to bring about global peace and security, to bring dignity and freedom to innocent men, women and children, the victims of conflict.