Honourable Bill Graham,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
House of Commons,
Ottawa, Ontario.
K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Graham,

We commend your government for continuing Canada's admirable tradition of supporting the United Nations. With looming threats from war, drugs, terrorism, polluton and poverty, the United Nations is the one large umbrella organization which remains the hope for so many of us. However, for the UN to function effectively, reforms are necessary and we look to Canadians leadership for some of the required changes. Items we hope you will consider include:

(1) Creation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly

The United Nations system should include direct representation by citizens with input from non-governmental organizations. In place of today's state-centric ideology, which makes a virtue of national selfishness and exclusivity, a parliament would advance the idea of the world as a democratic community of citizens who share common vital interests and values.

(2) Reform of the UN Security Council

Equitable representation of the world's regions and equitable representation of the world's population are the most important criteria for determining membership in a transformed Security Council. The use and power of veto should be abolished or at least limited.

(3) Improvement in U.N. Peace Operations

The U.N. must have greater resources for early warning analysis, rapid reaction capability, and eventually its own standing peacekeeping force.

(4) Effective Financing for the United Nations

We expect all countries to pay their fair share towards UN operations. But it is time to look beyond the nation-state for new sources of funds. This might include a small tax on foreign exchange transactions, a tax on pollution or military expenditures, or taxing uses of the global commons.

We urge Canada to lobby for some of the many necessary reforms. Our hope is in the UN with its very fine Charters, Covenants and Declarations. Let us not have it fail for inability to change with circumstances.

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