Speech by LI President, Dr Hakima el Haité:
Excellences, dear colleagues of the Canadian Liberal Party, Ladies And gentleman. I am honoured to speak with you today. I would like to thank you for this purpose, Art Eagleton, the president of the Canadian Group of Liberal International (CGLI) for giving me this honour.
Dear Liberals, when I think of Canada, I think of this magnificent snowy painting during the winter and multicoloured during the summer where harmony reigns: harmony between people and nature, harmony between different cultures: people of different nationalities and religions live together, listen to one another and appreciate each other. They are equal in front of the law and have equal opportunities. Immigrants are not demonized and are welcomed, mentored and supported to blend in with this harmony.
While most countries have a pro-immigration party and an anti-immigration party, in Canada, each party boasts of being more pro-immigration than the other. When I think of Canada, I am thinking of your commitment to climate and your leadership in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, having witnessed my self the struggle of your leader and prime minister and the commitment and mobilization of your former Minister of the Environment Cathrine Mc Kenna whom I had the pleasure of knowing.
Today, through the various resolutions that you propose to vote during this congress, I see your commitment to continuing to reduce inequalities, and to arm your country to succeed in the energy and digital transitions.
Ladies and gentleman, our world today may seem less joyful and happier than the picture I have in mind for your marvellous country.
Le congrés que vous tenez aujour’dhui est historique à plusieurs titre. Il est marqué par un episode des plus frustrants et malheureux que l’humanité a connu. Cet episode de l’histoire de l’humanité, marquera certainement les resultas de ce congrés et les politiques que vous allez adopter dans les prochaines decennies pour server au mieux les interest des canadiens et ceux de l’humanité.
Le COVID19, ce virus infinement petit a chambolé nos vies, assigné à residence des milliards de personnes, empéché plus d’un milliard d’enfant de se render à l’école et n’a pas seulement érodé notre santé mais a aussi fait basculer nos économies et nos organisations sociales.
Durant cette crise, nous avons en tant que Liberal international, dénoncé plus que jamais les violations des droits humains, les restrictions abusives des libertés, les repressions repetitives et de plus en plus violentes de maniefestations pacifiques, la violence à l’encontre des femmes et bien d’autres derives.
Le constat general qui se degage de la crise saniataire est une montée en puissance du nationalism et de régime autoritaire pour qui un moment de crise est toujours moment iodine pour gagner en popularité et justifier plus de nationalism ou plus d’autorité.
Depuis le début de l’épédémie en Mars 2020, nous avons sensibilisé la communauté interntional sur les derives des detracteurs de la démocratie et nous avons appelé à plus de solidarité et de cooperation international en mettant en excergue les exemples réussis de la gestion de crise par nos libéraux en Asie, notamment à Hongkong et en Taiwan.
Aujourd’hui malgrés la troisième vague dans de nombreux pays, une lueur d’espoir se profile à l’horizon avec le vaccin mais encore 9 doses sur 10 sont administrées dans des pays à revenus élevés et nous avons également à cet effet avec le president du conseil de l’Europe appelé à l’accéleration du dispositive onusien de solidarité COVAX.
Car disons le, nous sommes entrain de perpetuer nos modes de fonctionnement en exacerbant les inégalités qui taient déjà bien grandes avant le COVID.
Let’s agree that well before COVID19 we lived in a world that was already hostile to many groups of society facing inequalities, although the world has never been so rich. Collectively and just before the pandemic, the world was three times richer than what it was in 1990 and as the thinker, Yuval Noah Harari said: “Never in the human history we were in so good shape”
Today, more people die from eating too much than for eating too little. More people die due to old age than from infectious diseases. And more people die by committing suicide than are killed by wars or terrorism put together.
But still. In the developing countries which represent a third of the planet gross product, and 75% of the world population and where live 62% of its poorest, income is more unequally distributed than in the 1990s, health care systems, education systems, digital infrastructure are week, and today vaccines are inaccessible this will let definitely 2/3rth of the world population behind.
ladies and gentleman, well before COVID19, we all knew that Climate change is a reality which costs us more than a loss of some DGB points but the loss of life. We all knew that 80% of our biodiversity is at the risk of extinction, which can lead to new diseases and pandemics, and COVID19 will not be the latest pandemic if we don’t act. Moreover, the challenges of today have shifted also towards access to the digital world which has created lots of opportunities but at the same time, has given rise to digital poverty and illiteracy.
And let’s be clear: the crisis of COVID19, the crisis of climate change, the increase of populists and terrorism has proven not to have borders, nationality, race, or religion and have shown to all of us that not a single country can defeat them on its own – we can only defeat them together.
During this crisis, we have realised that none of us will be safe until all of us are safe, and that healthy economies require healthy nations and free trade. During this crisis, we have realised that we are living in changing societies.
Technology, digitalisation, AI, Robotisation, social media, e-commerce etc. are rapidly changing the world we knew, and we cannot simply ignore this change in our development patterns if we want to pave the way for innovative progressive societies in line with the global transformation the world is witnessing.
Today Business as usual will not work any more. We have a chance to re-think and reinvent our future. Many said that the world is living a digital revolution and need a global transformation to tackle and mitigate the effects of Climate Change. I’m simply saying that we are shifting to other models of democracies and social organisations, in other words, we are entering a new era of human civilisation.
Friends, we can spend time analysing these changes, or we can spend time embracing the opportunities from within:
Dear friends, no country can reverse on its own the digital globalisation, innovation and artificial intelligence, climate change or stop the waves of migrants. For global challenges, the world needs global answers.
It’s why we still believe that multilateralism, international cooperation, globalization, have XXX peace and lifted millions of people out of poverty, if rethought smartly and fairly, will continue lifting people out of poverty. And that nationalism and isolation have no answers to global challenges.
Dear friends and colleagues, as president of Liberal International I can assure you that our commitment to fight against populism and nationalism, to protect human right and democracies and tackle climate change is underscored by our commitment to bolstering cooperation between democratic parties and supporting those in countries where full democracy remains an aspiration. More than building capacities, exchanging experience and advocating important causes, we are strengthening good relations, bolstering cooperation, and fostering understanding.
I will end by saying that our hostile threats did not end yet. The shadow of COVID19 will not begin to lift even for the richer countries for months or years, even with the vaccine. What is sure is that we need to change the world. We liberals have the vision, the creativity, and the courage to tackle these global challenges and to move within the digital transition ethically and with respect to human rights to building a more humane world. And you friends of the Canadian Liberal Party have what it is needed for that.
For generations, Canadian liberals have been at the forefront of articulating not only the liberal movement and ideals in your country but globally. You have been an inspiration and a lighthouse for every brave activist wanting to bring the liberal way of life to their oppressed, government and countries. As President of Liberal International, I am inviting you to continue finding your home in our global movement, continue re-energising the liberal movement, and let’s re-imagine the next decades of liberalism in the world together.
Thank you
