Address by Minister Dion at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Canada Post-Ministerial Conference

Speech

July 29, 2016 - Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada’s official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.

I am delighted to join you here today at my first ASEAN-Canada Post-Ministerial Conference [PMC], as we review Canada’s strong and growing relationship with ASEAN and make plans for even deeper cooperation.

Canada supports ASEAN through concrete initiatives in a number of key areas, including disaster risk management, human rights, security enhancement and public-private partnerships for infrastructure. We are committed to working with ASEAN in these areas, and we are open to exploring new areas that will further enhance the Canada-ASEAN partnership.

Canada values the very strong ties we enjoy with ASEAN, and our focus is to take our relationship to the next level as we approach the 40th anniversary of Canada becoming an ASEAN dialogue partner.

I have already had the pleasure of visiting the Philippines, Singapore and Myanmar since taking office last year, and during my travels in the region I was honoured to meet a number of colleagues who are here today. I look forward to visiting all ASEAN member states.

In addition to my own travels in Southeast Asia, Prime Minister Trudeau and my ministerial colleagues have already visited the region. One of Mr. Trudeau’s first trips was to Manila for the APEC Summit last November.

Just as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] takes the next step toward greater regional cooperation under the ASEAN Community, so Canada is beginning a new phase in our engagement with Southeast Asia.

As of 2015, we now have a resident diplomatic presence in all 10 ASEAN member states. We have tripled the size of our ASEAN mission in Jakarta, and also appointed our first dedicated resident ambassador to ASEAN.

Canada intends to continue building on this very strong foundation in order to achieve our mutual goals. I’d like to explain a bit why we find it essential to be engaged in this region, beginning with security partnerships.

We face common challenges, not least the threat of terrorism. Terrorism knows no borders, and it is essential that we work together to both defeat terrorist groups and prevent violent extremism at its source. Canada is fully involved in global efforts, including with ASEAN, to prevent the emergence and spread of global terrorism.

In this spirit of common cause, I am pleased to announce that Canada will continue to support ASEAN with more than $17 million in new counter-terrorism, anti-crime and related security funding.

This includes an investment of up to $12 million through our Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building program over the next three years to help ASEAN member states address terrorism. These funds will be directed to areas such as:

• enhancing law enforcement’s ability to track, target and share criminal intelligence;
• countering foreign fighters;
• countering violent extremism and radicalization.

We are also committing up to $3 million to support regional initiatives in Southeast Asia to prevent, deter and combat human smuggling.

A further $1.75 million will strengthen biological security in the ASEAN region by supporting a customized disease surveillance system.

And $500,000 will go to the ASEAN Centre for Energy to support nuclear and radiological security expertise on civilian use of nuclear energy.

We are also increasing our cooperation in the ASEAN Regional Forum [ARF]. At the ARF tomorrow, I will confirm that Canada will host and co-chair with the Philippines the Intersessional Support Group on Confidence-Building Measures and Preventive Diplomacy and the ARF Defence Officials Dialogue.

Southeast Asia is an area of the world that is particularly prone to natural disasters, and this is why Canada has taken an active role in disaster risk management. As part of a $10-million program with the Asian Development Bank, Canada is supporting two new projects worth almost $500,000 to help advance the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response. These projects focus on strengthening disaster resilience through risk reduction and better adaptation to climate change.

During our meeting today, we will discuss progress toward our common vision of enhancing our partnership under the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-Canada Enhanced Partnership and our Plan of Action adopted by our colleagues at last year’s PMC.

Our discussions will show that we are more engaged with you than we have ever been. Canada is present, Canada is active, and Canada is here for the long term.

My friends and colleagues, Canada is unequivocally a Pacific nation. We are deeply integrated with Asia-Pacific historically, geographically, demographically and economically. We are a vast country surrounded by three oceans, while ASEAN is an incredibly dynamic region sitting at the heart of Asia.

The challenge before us is to build the institutional and people-to-people linkages that will allow an expanded relationship to flourish. We need to work harder at bringing in all the regions of Canada and reaching out to the many institutions—both private and public—that need to be more engaged.

Canada has been clear in outlining its vision for the future of ASEAN-Canada relations. We have been clear as to our commitment to ASEAN centrality as Asia becomes a region of ever greater importance to the global community and to Canada.

To fully achieve our vision, Canada and ASEAN should elevate our engagement to the highest level, that of leaders. This is why we have asked to become a member of the East Asia Summit at the earliest opportunity. We also maintain our interest in joining the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus.

Along with Prime Minister Trudeau and my ministerial colleagues, I will continue to work hard to develop new opportunities for Canadians to engage with ASEAN and its member states—in the tradition of building a region of amity and cooperation. Canada is committed to continuing to work with our ASEAN partners to fully realize this objective.

I look forward to our fruitful discussions today.

Thank you.

Contacts

Chantal Gagnon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
343-203-1851
chantal.gagnon@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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