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Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly Canadian Website “A Parliamentary Assembly would make the U.N. more transparent, efficient and more democratic.” Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former U.N. Secretary-General (1992-1997) "A parliament at the U.N. would symbolize the notion of humanity as a community of world citizens." Günter Grass, Nobel Prize laureate in literature (1999) PURPOSE The purpose of this website is to seek the endorsement by organizations, individuals, academics and current Parliamentarians in Canada for the international campaign to create a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA). The UNPA is a pragmatic yet revolutionary attempt to address the 'democratic deficit' at the international level by allowing citizens more direct access at the United Nations. You can Read and Endorse the Appeal for a U.N. Parliamentary Assembly on-line. INTERNATIONAL COALITION A NGO registered in Germany, The Committee for a Democratic UN (KDUN), is coordinating an international coalition of organizations in support of a UNPA. The Campaign was launched through press conferences held April 2007 in major cities -- including London, Rome, Buenos Aires, Dar Es Salaam, Mumbai, Ottawa and Vancouver -- to be followed by an international conference in Geneva under the patronage of former UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali. (More detail on the international UNPA website at www.unpacampaign.org) UN PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY The coalition envisions the UNPA as, initially, a purely consultative body attached to the General Assembly. Because its creation does not require a UN charter amendment, the establishment of a UNPA would not be subject to the veto of the five permanent members of the Security Council. The UNPA would uniquely be accountable to we, the people of the world rather than national governments or international organisations. Its mandate would include receiving information on all UN matters and making recommendations, including proposals for UN reform. The coalition for a UNPA anticipates that, like the Parliament of the European Union before it, the Assembly would evolve and increase its powers over time. For example, the first member representatives of the people might be elected by legislators from all parties in existing national parliaments; but, at a later stage, candidates would be required to run for direct election by the people. The UNPA represents a change in consciousness -- an understanding that we now live in a global community with global problems such as climate change, pandemics, financial turbulence and nuclear weapons proliferation that can be effectively solved only by cooperative global efforts, not by individual nations acting alone. As a politically empowered conscience of the world, a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly will have the ability to challenge, inform, energize and inspire global citizens and existing political institutions alike. CAMPAIGN IN CANADA The World Federalist Movement-Canada is national coordinator for Canada. We are asking individuals and organizations to support the Campaign by adding their names to the list of endorsers. We are also looking for individuals in every federal riding willing to contact their member of Parliament and request his or her endorsement of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, since we believe that existing parliamentarians are in the best position to advance the UNPA proposal and are most likely to support the fundamental concept of a global, citizen-elected parliament. Academic and public support is crucial in persuading and enabling parliamentarians to act. We invite you to learn more about this proposal. We would also like to extend an invitation to organizations and individuals to participate in planning activities. Please contact our Ottawa or Vancouver offices for more information. The World Federalist Movement - Canada (WFM-C) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit research, education and advocacy organization. Our national presidents have included Warren Allmand, Allan Blakeney, and Flora MacDonald. World Federalists support the development of a global community based on the rule of law and democratically accountable international institutions. GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN REQUIRES YOUR SUPPORT! While the proposed UNPA would begin with limited powers, we expect that a more complete democratic transformation will occur over time. Our own national parliaments are derived from bodies that were once merely advisory committees to kings who held absolute authority over their subjects. Our realistic challenge today is to make the UNPA operational so that it can start taking its first steps towards maturity. Will you be a birth-parent to this important event? Your helping hand is most appreciated at a critical time when a concerted and co-ordinated international effort is underway! In addition to the endorsement forms on this site which can be printed, it is now possible to endorse the Appeal for a U.N. Parliamentary Assembly on-line. Read and Endorse the Appeal for a U.N. Parliamentary Assembly on-line. International UNPA Campaign Website: www.unpacampaign.org/ |
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