Address by Prime Minister Paul Martin to the Canada-China Business Council Dinner
21, January 2005
Author: Government of Canada Newsroom
Excerpt from the release:
"The world’s institutions will always be imperfect tools, but progressive nations have a duty to try to ensure they reflect the reality of the world today, not of the world in which the institutions were created. That’s why Canada has been advocating a New Multilateralism that sees the world as it is, and as it will be – not as it was. A world that enshrines the responsibility to protect its peoples. A world that dedicates itself to devising real solutions to pressing concerns in a timely manner.
For the same reason, Canada believes that nations can build on the success of the G8 -- that we should take the next logical step and gather not only the leaders of the world’s industrial nations but also its regional powers, such as South Africa, Brazil and India – and of course the new global power, China. Bring them together, these 20 world leaders, and let them deal decisively with such pressing global issues as terrorism, public health and the degradation of the environment. No speeches, no scripted sessions: just a new, efficient way to devise concerted, effective multilateral action that produces real results. President Hu and Premier Wen have told me they support the idea of an L-20 meeting, and I hope that we can be partners in making it a reality."
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