Hon. Bill Graham: Thank you very much, Roy, for that more than kind introduction. Since I am speaking before dinner, I'd better get my glasses or you'll have a quicker dinner than planned. But, Roy, thank you for those kind words, particularly your reference to our time together in the House of Commons. I have to say that when Roy was in the House of Commons I was so far behind him, in the fourth row or whatever, that when he was up there taking care of trade matters but it was great to be able to work with him and work with many of the people that are here in this room. It's a privilege to be in this wonderful location.
I noticed the portrait of Sir Winston Churchill on the way in and I was reminded a little bit, I remember some years ago reading a biography of Churchill where he once said, you know the great thing about speeches and dinner speeches was that you had a good dinner, you talked about the food and then you had an opportunity to talk about what you were there to talk about. And he made it very clear that he was the one that was going to do most of the talking.
I personally don't intend to do most of the talking tonight. What I'd like to do is say a few words of introduction, something about where we're going with the department and then I'd like maybe a few questions and we can discuss things here because I see some former NATO ambassadors. I see General Devereau. I see some very knowledgeable people here and I want to say that I was sorry that I wasn't able to be here today to participate in the conference. It clearly was a remarkable conference because you're tackling basically the issues that we have to deal with - the new strategic environment, the changing nature of peacekeeping operations, the diplomatic defence and development interface, instability operations. The ideas that you were talking about today are the very issues that are having a profound impact on the Canadian Forces, on Canada's contribution to global peace and security and on our planning for the future.
So I'm really pleased to be here this evening I must say once again in this very impressive setting. I was privileged to be invited here when I was wearing the former hat to which Roy was good enough to allude and it's a fantastic opportunity to be here with such a distinguished audience. I recognize that the Royal Canadian Military Institute, the Atlantic Council of Canada and the Canadian Institute on Strategic Studies all play a critical role in raising awareness and understanding of important strategic issues in Canada. In fact, this is my first major opportunity to speak since my appointment as Minister of National Defence. And in my view it's no more appropriate audience could I appear before than this one.
Tonight I'd like to provide you with some cursory thoughts on some of the issues that were discussed today at the conference, particularly some of those that were having such an influence and impact on what we're doing at Defence. Then, and I recognize looking around the room, Professor Bland and others, there's a lot more expertise here than I have in these areas so I will be brief on that area but then, with your indulgence, I'd also like to spend a few minutes discussing my priorities for defence over the next 12 months. It is certainly going to be an interesting year ahead not the least of which will take place in the parliamentary agenda as we face a minority government and all the parliamentary ---
Unidentified Male Speaker: Chicanery. (Laughter.)
Hon. Bill Graham: --- challenges that that presents. (Applause.) So before going any further, I'd like to say I'm very proud that the Prime Minister asked me to be the Defence Minister. I've always considered Defence one of the most critical portfolios in government. There is nothing more important for a government than protecting the safety and security of our citizens and in securing our nation's sovereignty. These are not abstract notions to be debated by philosophers or theorists. They're fundamental responsibilities of government and today they have to be met in extremely complex and uncertain conditions.
As Foreign Minister, I always subscribed to the maxim that while defence policy is in many ways derivative of foreign policy, the effectiveness of our foreign policy is very much dependent on the quality and strength of our defence capacity. And I firmly believe that the place and respect that Canada occupies in the world today is one that is due in large part to the role that our armed forces have played and are continuing to play in world events.
I was fortunate enough to get to know George Robertson well through my days at NATO. Dave will recall his sense of humour, the way in which he guided us through some tricky bits of negotiations. And George was good enough to write me congratulations. And in his words, Roy, echoing yours, congratulated me on being "promoted to the most important post in government." (Laughter.) He made what was perhaps a characteristically Defence Minister's distinction between my past and present roles as follows. And he said this, "Maybe briefly you'll miss the honeyed words of the diplomatic world but the rewards of defence are great and enjoyable. Putting foreign policy into practice is no small task but there's great satisfaction in doing it." And that was a man who is a master of both the art and the practice of politics and international security issues.
And I'd also like to emphasize that defence and security are key components of this government's forward-looking agenda for Canada and for Canadians. Since December we've invested significant new resources to protect our country and our citizens. We've introduced Canada's first national security policy. We've created the Department of Public Security and Emergency Preparedness and we're now in the process of conducting an international and defence policy review. We also recognize there's a great deal more to do.
Again, in my role as Minister of Foreign Affairs, I had the opportunity to meet with many of the members of the Canadian Forces. I've also had the opportunity to visit them abroad and witness the absolutely amazing work they do throughout the world. I've seen firsthand the dedication, the spirit of self-sacrifice and the professionalism of our men, women in uniform. And I can say without exaggeration they're the best in the world at what they do. I've also seen firsthand the difference they're making in the lives of people in need. I've seen the real and significant impact that they had on the people of Afghanistan, of Bosnia and Haiti, to name but a few places where I've visited and seen them in action.
I often think in fact and repeated it today to a university audience that I was speaking to of an encounter I had or witnessed between a Canadian Forces member, a sergeant, and a little Afghan girl on a crowded and rather chaotic street in downtown Kabul. And there was a child who pointed what could have been a weapon towards the sergeant. And he reached out around behind this little girl and just took that weapon away from this little boy. And it was a toy weapon but he didn't know that. And I said you were risking your life. And he said, "Well, I'm wearing a flak jacket and I believe it was more important to risk taking a hit and reaching out than perhaps killing an innocent child." And I can tell you it was amazing to watch what happened in that group with those people. And while that soldier's job was to provide security and stability in a hostile land, I was really struck by his willingness to risk his life and to bring something to the community there and to reach out to this little child and even bring a little bit of, because he made a joke about it, brought a little bit of humour into the little girl's life. And I was really struck by the pride that he took in doing this and ultimately the tremendous warmth that he was received by that child and her entire family and everybody on that street that we talked to.
So I've had the opportunity to become quite familiar with many of the issues now facing Defence. This is not to imply that I don't face a learning curve; I do. But I just like to think that I bring to this new task some useful insights from my previous experience and a real appreciation of the importance of defence and all that it stands for.
As you discussed today, Canada faces a complex array of defence and security challenges. Fifteen years after the end of the Cold War and it's obvious that the world is an unpredictable and perilous place. It's also obvious that the peace dividend we so eagerly sought in the west was an allusion. As we begin the 21st century, we face significant new and evolving threats such as global terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the dangers caused by failed and failing states. At the same time, threats of more traditional nature, such as intrastate or interstate conflicts, now exist along newer destabilizing factors such as environmental crises on a global scale, civil strife and pandemics.
Simply put, the lines between security and defence have blurred if not disappeared altogether. I think the Prime Minister captured it well in a recent speech when he made and when he said, "Today's frontline stretches from the streets of Kabul to the rail lines in Madrid to cities across Canada." And this is having a fundamental impact on how we approach our domestic and continental security, our relations with our closest allies and partners and on how we protect and project our interests and values abroad.
...more to follow...
I noticed the portrait of Sir Winston Churchill on the way in and I was reminded a little bit, I remember some years ago reading a biography of Churchill where he once said, you know the great thing about speeches and dinner speeches was that you had a good dinner, you talked about the food and then you had an opportunity to talk about what you were there to talk about. And he made it very clear that he was the one that was going to do most of the talking.
I personally don't intend to do most of the talking tonight. What I'd like to do is say a few words of introduction, something about where we're going with the department and then I'd like maybe a few questions and we can discuss things here because I see some former NATO ambassadors. I see General Devereau. I see some very knowledgeable people here and I want to say that I was sorry that I wasn't able to be here today to participate in the conference. It clearly was a remarkable conference because you're tackling basically the issues that we have to deal with - the new strategic environment, the changing nature of peacekeeping operations, the diplomatic defence and development interface, instability operations. The ideas that you were talking about today are the very issues that are having a profound impact on the Canadian Forces, on Canada's contribution to global peace and security and on our planning for the future.
So I'm really pleased to be here this evening I must say once again in this very impressive setting. I was privileged to be invited here when I was wearing the former hat to which Roy was good enough to allude and it's a fantastic opportunity to be here with such a distinguished audience. I recognize that the Royal Canadian Military Institute, the Atlantic Council of Canada and the Canadian Institute on Strategic Studies all play a critical role in raising awareness and understanding of important strategic issues in Canada. In fact, this is my first major opportunity to speak since my appointment as Minister of National Defence. And in my view it's no more appropriate audience could I appear before than this one.
Tonight I'd like to provide you with some cursory thoughts on some of the issues that were discussed today at the conference, particularly some of those that were having such an influence and impact on what we're doing at Defence. Then, and I recognize looking around the room, Professor Bland and others, there's a lot more expertise here than I have in these areas so I will be brief on that area but then, with your indulgence, I'd also like to spend a few minutes discussing my priorities for defence over the next 12 months. It is certainly going to be an interesting year ahead not the least of which will take place in the parliamentary agenda as we face a minority government and all the parliamentary ---
Unidentified Male Speaker: Chicanery. (Laughter.)
Hon. Bill Graham: --- challenges that that presents. (Applause.) So before going any further, I'd like to say I'm very proud that the Prime Minister asked me to be the Defence Minister. I've always considered Defence one of the most critical portfolios in government. There is nothing more important for a government than protecting the safety and security of our citizens and in securing our nation's sovereignty. These are not abstract notions to be debated by philosophers or theorists. They're fundamental responsibilities of government and today they have to be met in extremely complex and uncertain conditions.
As Foreign Minister, I always subscribed to the maxim that while defence policy is in many ways derivative of foreign policy, the effectiveness of our foreign policy is very much dependent on the quality and strength of our defence capacity. And I firmly believe that the place and respect that Canada occupies in the world today is one that is due in large part to the role that our armed forces have played and are continuing to play in world events.
I was fortunate enough to get to know George Robertson well through my days at NATO. Dave will recall his sense of humour, the way in which he guided us through some tricky bits of negotiations. And George was good enough to write me congratulations. And in his words, Roy, echoing yours, congratulated me on being "promoted to the most important post in government." (Laughter.) He made what was perhaps a characteristically Defence Minister's distinction between my past and present roles as follows. And he said this, "Maybe briefly you'll miss the honeyed words of the diplomatic world but the rewards of defence are great and enjoyable. Putting foreign policy into practice is no small task but there's great satisfaction in doing it." And that was a man who is a master of both the art and the practice of politics and international security issues.
And I'd also like to emphasize that defence and security are key components of this government's forward-looking agenda for Canada and for Canadians. Since December we've invested significant new resources to protect our country and our citizens. We've introduced Canada's first national security policy. We've created the Department of Public Security and Emergency Preparedness and we're now in the process of conducting an international and defence policy review. We also recognize there's a great deal more to do.
Again, in my role as Minister of Foreign Affairs, I had the opportunity to meet with many of the members of the Canadian Forces. I've also had the opportunity to visit them abroad and witness the absolutely amazing work they do throughout the world. I've seen firsthand the dedication, the spirit of self-sacrifice and the professionalism of our men, women in uniform. And I can say without exaggeration they're the best in the world at what they do. I've also seen firsthand the difference they're making in the lives of people in need. I've seen the real and significant impact that they had on the people of Afghanistan, of Bosnia and Haiti, to name but a few places where I've visited and seen them in action.
I often think in fact and repeated it today to a university audience that I was speaking to of an encounter I had or witnessed between a Canadian Forces member, a sergeant, and a little Afghan girl on a crowded and rather chaotic street in downtown Kabul. And there was a child who pointed what could have been a weapon towards the sergeant. And he reached out around behind this little girl and just took that weapon away from this little boy. And it was a toy weapon but he didn't know that. And I said you were risking your life. And he said, "Well, I'm wearing a flak jacket and I believe it was more important to risk taking a hit and reaching out than perhaps killing an innocent child." And I can tell you it was amazing to watch what happened in that group with those people. And while that soldier's job was to provide security and stability in a hostile land, I was really struck by his willingness to risk his life and to bring something to the community there and to reach out to this little child and even bring a little bit of, because he made a joke about it, brought a little bit of humour into the little girl's life. And I was really struck by the pride that he took in doing this and ultimately the tremendous warmth that he was received by that child and her entire family and everybody on that street that we talked to.
So I've had the opportunity to become quite familiar with many of the issues now facing Defence. This is not to imply that I don't face a learning curve; I do. But I just like to think that I bring to this new task some useful insights from my previous experience and a real appreciation of the importance of defence and all that it stands for.
As you discussed today, Canada faces a complex array of defence and security challenges. Fifteen years after the end of the Cold War and it's obvious that the world is an unpredictable and perilous place. It's also obvious that the peace dividend we so eagerly sought in the west was an allusion. As we begin the 21st century, we face significant new and evolving threats such as global terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the dangers caused by failed and failing states. At the same time, threats of more traditional nature, such as intrastate or interstate conflicts, now exist along newer destabilizing factors such as environmental crises on a global scale, civil strife and pandemics.
Simply put, the lines between security and defence have blurred if not disappeared altogether. I think the Prime Minister captured it well in a recent speech when he made and when he said, "Today's frontline stretches from the streets of Kabul to the rail lines in Madrid to cities across Canada." And this is having a fundamental impact on how we approach our domestic and continental security, our relations with our closest allies and partners and on how we protect and project our interests and values abroad.
...more to follow...