Honourable Jean Chretien                               Honourable Bill Graham
Prime Minister of Canada                                   Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons                                           House of Commons
Parliament Buildings                                          Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6                                   Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

FAX:613-941-6900    Email: [email protected]       FAX:613-996-9607    Email: [email protected]

Re: The International Criminal Court and Canadian Foreign Policy

Dear Prime Minister Jean Chretien - and - Foreign Minister Bill Graham,

As we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the signing of the historic Rome Statute, I would like to commend your Government for its outstanding contribution to the formation and implementation of the International Criminal Court.

For the first time, we will see a truly international court, reflecting legal systems in all geographic regions of the world, ready to hold individuals accountable for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. Many consider this court to be the most significant advance in international law since the founding of the United Nations.

I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage your administration to make the strengthening of multilateralism and international institutions an overriding priority of Canadian foreign policy.

Within this framework, in addition to supporting the Court, the Canadian Government should:

  • continue advocacy of "The Responsibility to Protect’,
  • seek democratization of international organizations through parliamentary assemblies and other oversight forums,
  • strive for the primacy of the UN as a policy setting body (rather than Bretton Woods institutions),
  • promote international trade regimes that advance sustainable development for the world’s poor,
  • increase participation in peace operations under UN auspices, including development of a rapid reaction capability,
  • maintain the centrality of the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a cornerstone of its arms control efforts, and
  • decline participation in the development of ballistic missile defence systems.

We hope you agree that the world’s people and governments must join in achieving a new level of co-operation such as can only be sustained by a commitment to the planet as a global community. An interdependent, globalizing world deserves democratically accountable institutions promoting the rule of law and social and economic justice. Canada has a unique role to play in the creation of a better system of global governance.

Signed:____________________________ Date:________________________________

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________ Prov. :_______________________________

Postal Code:________________________________