|
 As an award-winning journalist Peter Kent traveled the world reporting on events that shaped history. Today he continues to do so but from a different perspective. Where he was once a witness he is now a Political actor.
It’s been almost two years since his appointment as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Americas and many things have happened in the region. Free trade negotiations, human rights controversies, political shifts and devastating earthquakes are just some of the recent issues on the agenda. And yet, the one thing that does not seem to change is Canada’s continuous commitment and support.
ABANICO met with Minister Kent to talk about the efforts that bring the Americas together, his impressions on the region and the Latin American community in Canada.
ABANICO: You were a journalist for 40 years. Back in those days, you were the one asking the questions, but now you are the one being interviewed. How has that experience been so far?
Peter Kent: It’s more difficult to answer questions than to ask them, but it’s been good. Most of my career was related to international events, many of which took place in the Americas, so I felt very fortunate when I became the minister responsible for the region. There are a number of notable former journalists who have joined the political life both here in Canada and abroad. One example is our Governor General, Michaëlle Jean. As a journalist your role is very often to probe and to question, while in public life you get the chance to engage in an exchange of views and perspectives with all the people you meet and to talk about challenges and opportunities.
ABANICO: What would you say are your main accomplishments as Minister of Foreign Affairs for the region?
P. K.: Many of the accomplishments are due to the Americas policy created by Prime Minister Harper in 2007 and the three basic principles on which it’s based: democracy, security and prosperity. Canada has engaged both through the Organization of American States, which we joined 20 years ago, and bilaterally with individual countries in the region, to promote each of those areas, to collaborate with some of the stronger democracies or economies and to assist the weaker democracies or economies.
On a personal level it’s been wonderful to establish relationships not only with presidents and foreign ministers but also with representatives of civil society. To see different countries come together and to help in different ways has also been great, as has been the case with recent events in Haiti and Chile. Or, in the case of Colombia, it’s been very satisfying to work with the government of President Uribe in terms of achieving a free trade agreement that will be mutually beneficial for both countries.
ABANICO: Your current posting is described as foreign affairs, but there are many people from the Americas who call Canada home. How relevant is the Canadian-Latin American community to this government?
P.K.: Very relevant. There is any number of organizations and representatives of individual communities that we try to connect and build relationships with. For instance, in the past year I’ve been doing non-political work with some people from El Salvador to assist with the help of Canadian charitable organizations. We also made a number of visits to representatives of the Mexican community regarding the illegitimate refugee claims and the visa condition.
I try to meet as often as possible with people from Latin America living in Canada. It’s also great to see the efforts being made in terms of festivals, events, scholarships and other many initiatives to build better relationships and share our common values. Here in Toronto, one of the highlights of the summer is Salsa on St. Clair, where everybody joins the weekend with music and food from the region.
ABANICO: What are some of the priority projects for the region?
P.K.: There are a number of free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia and Panama, and we were working with Honduras and Central America before the coup. This last agreement is now underway, at least at the technical level, because all of the countries realize the benefits and are going for regional integration.As per the agreement with Colombia, there was a delay because of political reasons. In Canada, the NDP appears to be using outdated statistics of human rights abuse in Colombia and the Liberals seem to be divided. But we believe President Uribe has been constant and very courageous in trying to correct some of the terrible problems of the 80’s and the 90’s.
Also, both our governments have agreed in bilateral human rights consultations. After ratification, once a year each country will provide a review of any negative impact the agreement may have had in either part. The agreements include labor and environmental treaties and disputes can be resolved properly by independent third parties. My personal preference would be to have the agreement ratified before the elections.
ABANICO: Many countries are celebrating the bicentennial of their independence. How does Canada see Latin America today and what are some of the challenges and opportunities in the relationship with the region?
P.K.: Canada and Latin America have a relationship that goes back hundreds of years. However, in recent years we have recognized that our social, political and trade relationships have not developed as deeply as they should. Part of that realization has come about by the fact that the diasporas of the Americas, individually and as a collective group, remind us that there are different issues and challenges in the region. Sometimes the greater challenges are in terms of security, sometimes in democratic principles and practices, and sometimes in trying to create prosperity for a more just society.
ABANICO: Venezuela with Chavez, Bolivia with Morales, Ecuador with Correa, Brazil with Lula. What is your perception of the new political environment in the region?
P.K.: We have deep relationships in terms of commerce, trade and investment in all of those countries. There are different visions but we are able to sit down and talk. There’s common ground. I recently had the chance to visit Venezuela, Bolivia and Cuba, and meet with civil society and officials to talk about the different aspects of our relationships.
ABANICO: How do you see the reconciliation process in Honduras?
P.K.: President Lobo is taking steps to embrace the Tegucigalpa/San José Accord and Canada strongly supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to advance the process of national reconciliation and dialogue across all sectors.
ABANICO: What is commitment of the Canadian government with Chile and Haiti?
P.K.: Canada has been deeply involved in the recovery efforts in Chile and Haiti. The spirit of the people in both countries is remarkable and the support of the Canadian community is reassuring, but aid must be spent efficiently and in a coordinated way, to not just replace what was destroyed, but to build better communities. Humanitarian, economic and technical support is currently in place.
ABANICO: What are some of your most cherished memories of your visits to the region and where are you going next?
P.K.: There are so many. I think it’s the wonderful sense of connection with the different societies and cultures. This relationship is based on the similar attitudes we have toward different issues. Another thing I truly enjoy is Latin American coffee. It’s my favorite drink. In terms of upcoming plans, I would like to go back to Honduras and visit Venezuela between now and the September election.
ABANICO: Will you be watching the World Cup? Do you have a favorite team?
P.K.: I will be watching but I won’t share my favorite team. It is sad Canada didn’t qualify. The World Cup, the Olympics and the Pan-American Games, which we’ll be hosting, are a great opportunity to bring communities together.
ABANICO: Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
P.K.: Canada and Latin America already have wonderful relationships across the spectrum and I hope they improve so we have the chance to celebrate the fact that we are neighbors, that we embrace democratic principles and that we can make the world a better place.
Minister Kent
Peter Kent was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008. Prior to his election to the House of Commons, Mr. Kent was a broadcast journalist having spent more than 40 years working as a writer, reporter, producer, anchor and senior executive in Canada, the United States and around the world. Internationally, he covered stories that shaped the 20th century, including momentous events such as the Yom Kippur War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.
Mr. Kent has a long record of community service. He was a member of the board of Participation, the Ontario Cabinet of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Honest Reporting Canada, and The Accessible Channel. Mr. Kent has also served as a mentor with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and remains an active supporter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Toronto Conservatory of Music, the Canadian Opera Company, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
 |
RSS feed Comments
Secciones