West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Former Canadian Attorney General addresses Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

Published: 5 March, 2010

Remarks by Warren Allmand P.C., O.C, Q.C, (Former Attorney General, Canada) at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in Dublin.

As a longtime partisan and advocate for independence, peace, unity and justice in Ireland, especially in Northern Ireland, it is a great honour to be with you for this conference.

I want to thank you most sincerely for your invitation.

As some of you know, I have been active in these issues for several years.

I first went to Belfast and Northern Ireland in 1966 with a parliamentary delegation, and then I returned on 5 other occasions between 1995 and 2000, principally, but not exclusively as an international observer during the marching season.

These missions were very important in that they made clear to the local populations and the international community that the world was watching, reporting and evaluating what was happening during those dark days.

During those same years I was also raising these and related issues in parliament and throughout Canada - i.e. discrimination in the workplace, plastic bullets, the Rosemary Nelson case, the RUC, and the Good Friday Agreement.

In particular I have been a strong supporter of the initiatives taken by Sinn Féin to make the agreement workable and fully implemented.

More recently I participated in the Irish Unity Conference in Toronto on November 7, 2009.

This was a very successful meeting organized by Alan McConnell and FOSFC with over 300 persons attending from several parts of Canada.

As a result of this conference FOSF launched, online, it's Irish Unity Pledge.

The purpose of this pledge is to formally sign on prominent individuals, Irish and other organizations in Canada who openly support the peaceful and democratic unification of Ireland, to address the root causes of conflict, all in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement.

Although the pledge has only been active for a few months it has already been signed by several members of parliament, provincial officials, city councillors, trade union leaders, actors, authors, and singers, academics, an aboriginal chief, and representatives of Irish Community Associations.

This is only part of our international solidarity campaign to work with you to make "unity" happen.

As a human rights activist I have personally been pressing for an entrenched Charter of Rights as envisioned by the GFA, a charter which would protect the cultures and values of both principal communities - both individually and collectively.

Both communities must feel fully comfortable and secure in a united Ireland.

Finally if we are going to achieve unity in Ireland, then all of us, in Ireland, in Canada, and in the diaspora throughout the world - must believe in it; must talk about it; and promote it. Unity is not going to happen on its own, by itself.

In conclusion, I wish you success at this conference and in the elections whenever they come.

If we in Canada can help, please call.

Thank you.