The Canadian Islamic Congress acknowledges with appreciation the initiative taken by the Hon. Prof. Bill Graham, Minster of Foreign Affairs, to engage Canadians in discussion about Canada's place in the 21st-century world.
We strongly believe it is the moral duty of every Canadian Muslim to engage in this discussion. We believe in this country and its leading role in the world today. We believe that apathy kills freedom, democracy, and our common goal of achieving social justice at home and peace with justice abroad. We believe in the following Quranic and Bible quotations on Peace and Justice and urge all Canadians and our representative government to work toward achieving these ideals.
"He is God. There is no God but He, The King, The Holy, The Peace." (Qur'an - 59:23)
"There is a time to kill and time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, a time to love and time to hate, a time of war and time of peace." (Bible - Eccl.3:3;8)
"God calls to the Home of Peace." (Qur'an - 10:25)
"Seek peace and pursue it." (Bible - Ps.34:14)
"Pardon them and then say, 'Peace'." (Qur'an - 43:89)
"Love the truth and peace." (Bible - Zech.8:19)
"God enjoins justice, charity and giving to kindred and forbids indecency, evil and aggression." (Qur'an - 16:90)
"To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." (Bible - Prov.21:3)
"Make peace between them with justice and be fair, as God loves those who are fair and just." (Qur'an - 49:9)
"Do justly." (Bible - Micah 6:8)
"Let not the hatred of others towards you, swerve you away from being just. Be just; this is nearer to piety." (Qur'an 49:9)
"Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother." (Bible - Zech.7:9)
We believe that this great, unique and distinct nation of ours has a mission for the world, to promote peace and justice and to fight world hunger, poverty, despair, and human misery.
We believe that Canada has a great deal to gain if its foreign policy is based on promoting world peace and justice. We further believe that Canada can contribute to the peaceful resolution of international conflicts.
To build up offensive armaments as a prelude to negotiating is in itself a threat to world peace. Similarly, the practice of pursuing diplomacy only in a context where war remains the final court of appeal, is no less detrimental. War cannot achieve more than peace. Thus, we believe that when diplomacy fails in resolving international conflicts, the solution is more diplomacy. Even if some wars are justified or unavoidable, Canada is more qualified to contribute to efforts at averting them than launching them. This approach is most consistent with Canadian values.
We believe that the theory which interprets history as a series of clashes between competing civilizations is false and cannot not make our world a better place. We embrace the basic principle of genuine dialogue between cultures and societies and are determined to work in that context toward world peace and justice.
We believe that the permanent division of the world into artificial "have" and "have-not" zones seriously threatens global peace. Canada can play an instrumental aid and stewardship role in helping to narrow that gap.
We believe that, although there are still considerable differences between the methodology used in Ottawa and that used by Washington in resolving international conflicts, these differences are sadly diminishing.
Canada should be more supportive of the UN; the G8 should be more accommodating of developing countries; the Commonwealth should be just that, not politically hijacked by the UK; Canada's membership in NATO should be reviewed; and with the diversity of originating cultures represented among our citizens Canada has, and should, play a leading role in APEC, OAS, and La Francophonie to further promote world peace with justice.
We believe that any deliberate act of violence against innocent people is immoral. We also believe that people who are under occupation have the right, as recognized by the UN, to liberate their lands by various means, including the use of armed resistance. Such armed resistance, as described by the UN, cannot be labelled "an act of terrorism".
We believe that promoting social justice, both at home and abroad, and resolving conflicts based on the principles and morals of natural justice is the best guarantee for achieving global security.
We believe that Canada, a country that refuses to join the global "nuclear club" despite its ability to do so, has the internationally recognized credibility to work for the elimination of all weapons of mass-destruction worldwide: nuclear, biological and chemical.
We applaud our government's efforts to rid the world of anti-personnel land mines and bomblets, thereby making this planet a safer place for all its inhabitants; we also applaud Canada's stand regarding the American invasion of Iraq.
We believe that, in addition to the tangible evils of armed conflict -- death, destruction, poverty, human misery and suffering -- war also promotes, as St. Augustine aptly noted, "love of violence, revengeful cruelty, fierce and implacable enmity" and the like.
We believe that every dollar and every intellect devoted to the maintenance of our outdated war technology is lost, because Canada will never be able to equal the arsenal of the U.S., nor should we desire this. The return on our economic and human-resources investment would be far higher if our primary efforts were directed to promoting international issues of peace and justice. All Canadians would then know that peace and justice involves them absolutely.
We believe that while peace-keeping is not easy, and peace-making is often very difficult, our world is in dire need of both -- far more than it needs wars and enhanced war technologies. Few countries possess the equal of Canada's reputation, proven experience, ability, and international trust, in the arts of peace-keeping and peace-making.
We believe that economic sanctions against any country are fundamentally counter-productive because they penalize most heavily the very young, the poor, the sick, and the old. Through its moral authenticity and international trust, Canada could realize a far greater potential in working with such countries to achieve changes that sanctions have been unable to accomplish.
We believe that the peoples of Kashmir, Chechnya and Palestine have the inalienable right to self-determination and statehood. We therefore applaud and support Canada's stand on the recognition of Palestinian rights, as stipulated in an ongoing series of related UN resolutions.
We believe that the occupation by Israel of parts of Southern Lebanon, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank, including parts of Jerusalem, is a violation of international law and a continuing impediment to world peace. We support Canada's traditional policy, based on UN Security Council resolutions 242, 338, and 425 and seek more Canadian diplomatic efforts to implement them.
We believe that minority rights, because they are inherent our recognition of basic human rights, must be respected in such countries as China, Russia, India, Burma, and the Philippines. Canada must not hesitate to voice its concerns and persistently call for the protection of human rights worldwide.
We believe that Canada has a diplomatic role and humanitarian responsibility to exercise in working to end civil strife in such countries as Algeria and the Sudan. Canada's international status as a peace-loving and peace-keeping country would be potentially very effective if our government were to take the initiative in launching an international diplomatic effort.
We believe that Canada, as a respected neighbour and ally of the United States of America, has a key role to play in moderating the influence American foreign policy in the interests of achieving world peace and justice.
We believe in the sustainable merit of a Canadian foreign policy which refutes double standards, racial discrimination, or uncritical appeasement of the United States.
We believe that Canada is uniquely situated to promote more collaboration, cooperation, strategic alliances, and bilateral or multilateral agreements to deal with global issues of fair trade, education, and cultural exchange. Canada should take a proactive stand now in favour of equitable globalization, for the alternative is globalization-turned-colonization, not only in economics, but also in politics, culture and even military outcomes. Canada could enhance positive outcomes for globalization in a number of ways, including the sharing of its IT (information technology) resources with the developing world.
We believe that Canada should work to lessen its dependence on trade with the US. In addition to encouraging more trade relationships with China, India, Mexico and Brazil, we should also work toward increased trade with the Muslim world and its nearly 1.5 billion citizens, of which 650,000 live in Canada.
As noted above, we believe that the theory which interprets history as a series of clashes between civilizations is false and does not make our world a better place. We embrace dialogue among cultures and societies and are determined to work on multiple fronts to further global peace and justice.
We believe that God Almighty created humanity to enjoy, not to destroy, the fruits of the earth and of human toil. The Arabic word "Islam" is derived from the same root as the word peace, or "salam." In the religious sense, a Muslim is one who voluntarily submits his/her will and actions -- in peace -- to the will, love, and guidance of God Almighty.
We believe that Canadian Muslims contribute substantially to the well-being of this country. They are proud to be Canadian, as much as they are proud to be Muslim. Their faith, their spirituality and their culture add a unique and rich dimension to the Canadian mosaic.
We believe that Islam, as a religion, an ideology and a world view, is a progressive force in the advancement of the human race toward attaining world peace and justice. History is a witness that when Muslims closely followed the teachings of Islam they, and the rest of the world, prospered. Whenever Muslims did not follow the teachings of Islam they, and the rest of the world, suffered greatly.
We believe that Canadian faith leaders, Canadian NGOs, and universities can play a leading role. The Canadian Islamic Congress is willing to serve in this regard.
We believe that Canadian foreign policy is gradually abandoning Canada's traditional role as a peace-making and peace-keeping nation, and that this is exerting a strong negative impact on our domestic affairs. Canadians are losing their historic sense of national unity and their pride in compassionately caring for our poor, young, old, sick, disabled, and unemployed, is steadily eroding.
We believe that, for the well-being of all Canadians, the spirit of former PM Lester Bowles Pearson must be maintained in Canada's 21st-century foreign policy. Pearson's positive efforts to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis while Secretary of State for External Affairs (1948-57) were rewarded with the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. And later, as Prime Minister, he introduced a comprehensive pension plan for the old, a national Medicare plan for the sick, and united our people around a new Canadian flag, recognized the world over as the proud symbol of a just and caring nation.
We believe also that Canada stands to greatly benefit financially from a well-balanced approach to world problems, especially in the Muslim world. The world's nearly 1.5 billion Muslims represent a huge potential market and Muslim countries could soon be at the head of Canada's list of major trading partners.
We hope that you will review and respond to our position paper.
For The Canadian Islamic Congress,
