Canada's World: Dialogue on Enhancing Equality and Human Development
“Let’s start a conversation.”
With this invitation, Shauna Sylvester, Director of Canada’s World, launched the Canada’s World Dialogue on Enhancing Equality and Human Development in Ottawa on Monday, January 25, 2010.
The afternoon event, organized by Canada’s World and held within the ‘ring of chairs’ at the Bridges that Unite exhibition, attracted more than 50 participants spanning half a century in age, and a globe of ideas. Following in the footsteps of similar discussions in Vancouver, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Halifax, the conversation focused on Canada’s role on the global stage.
Sylvester first asked participants to describe Canada and Canadians. The answers came quickly and were not unfamiliar: we are peacekeepers, champions of human rights, and the first to take a moral stand. We embody multiculturalism, and stay true to our values even in light of technological innovation and business development.
It also turns out that we have an overly rosy picture of ourselves. Sylvester played a newly released video highlighting some of the critical issues facing Canadians today: while Canadians may have invented the concept of peacekeeping, we are no longer the leaders of it. In fact, Canada ranks 52nd in contributions, behind smaller and less wealthy states like Yemen and Mongolia.
The participants’ initial reaction? Disappointment, but also drive. “We thought we knew who we were, but now we’re trying to find out who we are, and what our Canadian values are,” said Lyle Notice, a Canadian pastor.
The idea that Canadians have aspiration without action was echoed throughout the afternoon. So now, another participant asked, how do we bridge the gap between the promise and execution of who we are as Canadians?
Canada’s World, with the input of more than 100,000 citizens, has an idea. It proposes we lead by example in five key areas: fostering innovation, advancing a green economy, embracing diversity, enhancing equality and human development, and promoting good governance – relying on coherence, collaboration and community.
To wrap up the discussion, Sylvester asked participants to reflect on one portion of this proposed platform: how can Canada lead by example in promoting equality and human development in the future? The ideas were energetic, and focused not on government intervention but on our own capacities as part of the vibrant fabric of Canada’s civil society. In short: it’s up to us.
Khalil Shariff, CEO AKFC, ended the afternoon the way it started – advocating continued engaged and sophisticated dialogue. “Activate this ring of chairs,” he urged. “When Canada is at its very best, it does very well. When it’s not, we suffer. We have to remind ourselves now of what we are when we’re at our very best.”
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