ST-BONIFACE DECLARATION

On May 11 and 12, 1996, 45 citizens groups met in Saint-Boniface, Manitoba to discuss the future of Canada. The weekend was organised by Dialogue Canada, and the Société franco-manitobaine. This is the manifesto from those meetings.

 

Citizens of Canada

Saint-Boniface Declaration

The Canadian evolutionary process is moving ahead. Awakened by the final week of the Quebec referendum, grass roots organizations are mobilizing across the country. For the first time in recent Canadian history, representatives of 45 citizens groups meeting in Saint Boniface, have gone beyond traditional government consultation practices to launch a citizens-based voice and path of participation in the renewal of their country.

When the founders of confederation created the entity called Canada in the nineteenth century, they could not know they were laying the foundation for democracy in the twenty-first. But, indeed, they were.

The experiment of Canada has won the admiration of nation builders everywhere. As if the challenge of their cold, vast landscape were not test enough for unity, Canadians over almost thirteen decades have built a country out of a checkerboard of differences. Together they created a society whose achievements now allow its beneficiaries to stand as equals
among the seven most privileged countries in the world.

That is the past and present. Looking to the future, where that world is rushing headlong into the unknown and unknowable challenges of globalism, Canada is recognized among the best that human experience can show for the tolerant accommodation of unique differences. The world is fortunate to have the Canadian model, to know how distinctiveness can be moulded into creative enterprise. Canadians can stand proud and confident that they know how to be a family both by birth and choice. This will we now teach the world. It is our destiny and responsibility, not only as heirs of a precious national heritage, but as world citizens stepping into a new millennium.

Mindful of our heritage and of the task that lies ahead, we can turn with energy and commitment as Canadian citizens to address those issues which press most heavily upon us. Many of us experience discontent within the current Canadian federation. In particular, we believe that four concerns must be acknowledged and resolved if Canadians are to continue to enjoy the advantages that we have shared in this country.

In Quebec, French-speaking Canadians perceive a persistent threat to their language and culture because of worldwide trends toward increased trade and communications and the overwhelming predominance of the English language in North America. While a number of Quebecers favour sovereignty, most want to remain in a Canada in which other Canadians respect their linguistic and cultural concerns and recognize Quebec's specific role to sustain the French language and culture in Quebec.

Likewise French-speaking Canadians living outside Quebec and English-speaking Canadians within Quebec experience particular challenges to preserving their languages, cultures and institutions. For these Canadians, Canada's continuing commitment to the preservation and promotion of our two official languages is an essential requirement to full and equal
participation in the life of this country. For all Canadians, this linguistic duality is an important constituent of our shared culture and our distinct Canadian identity.

For aboriginal Canadians, similar concerns about language and culture underlie the pursuit of economic and political capacities considered necessary for aboriginal languages and cultures to survive and flourish. For these reasons, aboriginal peoples want federal and provincial governments to settle outstanding land claims and want Canadians as a whole to recognize their inherent right of self-government within the Canadian federation.

Among Canadians in Atlantic Canada and the West, numerical domination of federal institutions by Central Canada has been a source of continuing frustration. In Western Canada especially, Senate reform is proposed as a way to provide equitable regional influence in the federal Parliament so that federal policies and appointments might better reflect the regional diversity of the country.

Each of these concerns may point to a possible solution. Nonetheless, we do not presume to be able to define these solutions for Canadians. Instead, we believe that Canadians ourselves must recognize these concerns, listen to each other, and work together to formulate whatever solutions will facilitate the continued dialogue and mutual accommodation that we believe is at the heart of this country and of our shared identity as Canadians.

We, the participants of the Saint Boniface Dialogue have brought to this gathering our deep commitment to the Canada that we know and love, and we leave with a new perspective of our shared heritage and a deepened understanding of each other's concerns.

We believe that the importance of the Saint Boniface Dialogue is to be found in its process for exchange amongst concerned citizens. This process of dialogue led to the following recommendations:

1. We recommend the development of opportunities for youth participation and exchange through travel programs, encounters, drama presentations and leadership conferences.
2. We recommend that Canada's senior citizens be provided the same opportunities for exchange .
3. We recommend the development of opportunities for bilingual and interactive exchange on the internet for unity issues.
4. We recommend that a study be created of citizen's groups needs and a clearing house of information, communication and education materials.
5. We recommend that concrete expressions from all the regions of Canada be developed to support Quebec federalists.
6. We recommend the promotion and support of official linguistic duality.

We representatives of 45 Canadian citizens groups meeting in Saint Boniface note with pleasure a convergence and new will to accommodation in recent months, arising from public and private bodies including the federal government, the C.B.C. 24, the Group of 22 and the BCNI Confederation 2000 conference. Not only do they agree on the path ahead for Canada, but these diverse Canadian representatives also agree on the crucial role that citizens must play in the renewal of Canada.

• The Government of Canada's Throne Speech "welcomed public participation in the debate about Canada."
• The Group of 24 citizens meeting on C.B.C. television's The National demonstrate the similar values and the capacity of cohesion of Canadians when they can meet together in informed deliberation.
• The Group of 22 experts on political economy has called for the early establishment of `processes that promote the democratic engagement of citizens and citizen groups' and that `resources must be made available to help Canadians make tough choices based on solid information.'
• The 100 Canadian leaders of the Confederation 2000 Conference declared: "Success will depend on the will of citizens to play an active role in partnership with their governments in the establishment of a national consensus and carrying it into action. Together, we must encourage dialogue where it has been absent; dispel myths which cloud the perception of our common aspirations, by correcting misconceptions and sharing our dreams."

For our part, we declare the dawn of the new democracy in Canada. It is Canada's destiny, based on our traditions of pluralism, tolerance and mutual accommodation, to go beyond the traditional representative democracy and become a model for the world of the citizenship of tomorrow. Henceforth, voting every four years will only be the backdrop to informed, deliberative, active citizen involvement. Let this be known as the Canadian mission for the twenty-first century.

Mindful of the pressures of global society, we recognize the urgent need to build community through mutual recognition and understanding first where we live -- here, at home. All citizens must invest a part of their time and effort in ensuring the orderly development of the society in which we live.

Saying it will not make it happen. Canada is a vast and complex land. Canadians can only converse together if they have the means and resources to surmount the barriers of distance and diversity.

Responsible, informed, implicated citizenship for the twenty-first century requires that a portion of citizens' taxes and the profits of our economy be reinvested in the new democracy. It is not enough for governments and the private sector to sing the praise of citizen involvement. They must help make it happen.

In the spirit of continuing dialogue, we offer this Declaration to the citizens of Canada and our political representatives.