Madam Chairman, tonight in the House we stand as all citizens of the globe who reacted in horror and revulsion to the events of September 11.
The folly of the attack against the U.S. government and the American people challenges our ability to understand. Our first thoughts go to the many innocent people who lost their lives. We address our most sincere condolences to all those who lost a loved one or were injured during these attacks.
As the Prime Minister said, this attack targeted the world. Forty countries, including Canada, died last Tuesday. As individuals, we feel the pain of being powerless to turn the clock back, helpless in the face of overwhelming tragedy.
Our ties to our American friends and neighbours reflect the many shared values which we hold dear: freedom, democracy, respect for life and for the rule of law, to name but a few. We share with them a common border and the world's most important trading relationship. We are inextricably linked to the United States and we will continue to demonstrate our solidarity with our neighbours.
Canada is a country that stands for tolerance and for freedom, but also for civilized discussion of differing points of view, for peoples of all lands and all beliefs have been welcomed to a country of unparalleled peace, liberty and prosperity. We are a nation of immigrants.
The shameless attack on innocent lives is the antithesis of what it means to be Canadian. These attacks remind all of us of the importance of the values for which our country stands and the need for all of us to work hard to protect our interests and project our values.
We are reminded that terrorism is an ever present threat to the tranquility of our lives and to peace and security everywhere, to the safety and security of men, women and children of all faiths, of all nationalities, of all regions. Victims of terrorist acts are innocent civilians.
Terrorism knows no international boundaries. Terrorists have no respect, either for the rule of law or for international standards; they do not believe in peaceful discussion and negotiation as tools for dispute settlement or attaining political goals.
If we are to overcome this tragedy, rebuild and regain our confidence, then we need to ensure that the global community works together. We need to ensure that the commitments that have been made by countries to act against terrorism are not just words but in fact are translated into action.
In various regional and multilateral forums, including the United Nations, the global community has agreed on important principles in the fight against terrorism, including the denial of support and sanctuary for terrorists, the establishment of an international legal network against terrorism through universal adherence to the international conventions against terrorism and international co-operation and co-ordination at the policy and at the practical level.
In this regard, Canada has been at the forefront of international action on terrorism. From strengthening these legal measures at our disposal at the UN to chairing the negotiations on the two most recent counterterrorism conventions, Canadian leadership and Canadian ideas are evident throughout the legal framework that has been developed internationally.
In addition to multilateral solutions to combat terrorism, we co-operate on a range of counterterrorism issues with other countries on a bilateral basis and, in particular, with the United States.
Since the 1998 joint declaration on counterterrorism, our two countries have built a level of co-operation that is unparalleled in the world, including on issues such as information exchange on threats, planning for the management of terrorist incidents affecting both countries and counterterrorism research and development.
Unfortunately, the tragedy of September 11 shows that even that is not enough. We must not allow terrorists to undermine the rights, values and principles we cherish.
Last week the North Atlantic Council of NATO issued a statement saying that if it is determined that this attack was dictated or directed from abroad, it shall be regarded as an armed attack against all member states of NATO. This would be the very first time in its 52 year history that the members of this defensive alliance have taken such a step. Canada will act in solidarity with our allies in response to this terrorist act.
As the Prime Minister said yesterday in the House, this is a struggle against terrorism. It is not a struggle against any community or faith. We are all Canadians. We are all taught tolerance. Every one of us condemns terrorism and every one of us is prepared to act on those values.
As we choose our responses, even while we grapple with grief, anger and emotions, we must never stoop to the level of the terrorists nor substantiate their hatreds by singling out Canadians simply for their religious or ethnic backgrounds.
When I, like many of us, read about Islamic centres burned or children and women insulted on the streets of Canada because of what they wear or who they are, I, like all of us, am deeply chagrined. However, I also felt very proud this week when I listened to the Prime Minister on Monday because he expressed exactly my sentiments when he said:
We...will not give in to the temptation in a rush to increase security to undermine the values that we cherish and which have made Canada a beacon of hope, freedom and tolerance in the world.
We will not be stampeded in the hope, vain and ultimately self-defeating, that we can make Canada a fortress against the world.
He went on to say that immigration, as I said earlier, is central to the Canadian experience and identity. We have welcomed people from all corners of the globe, all nationalities, all colours and all religions. This is who we are. Let there be no doubt: we will allow no one to force us to sacrifice our values or tradition under the pressure of urgent circumstances. We will continue to welcome people from the whole world. We will continue to offer refuge to the persecuted.
I think that those words were so well said on Monday that they bear saying again tonight.
Every one of us must reflect on what kind of world we want to live in, what kind of world we want for our children and our families. We must support our allies in this war against terrorism. We must support the efforts of the justice system, we must protect ourselves against acts of blind terror and, finally, we must not let ourselves get lured into the trap of hate and over-reaction.
We have all suffered one way or the other, and we must heal our wounds. We should focus on the memory of our neighbours who died and work toward ensuring that such a thing never happens again.
The rule of law and the right of people everywhere to live in peace without fear of violence must be preserved.