Yesterday in my constituency office I met with an old friend and a new Albertan, both inspirational citizens.
Anil Mawani has been a friend for 20 years since our children were at daycare together under the watchful care of Assifa, his wife and also a friend. Anil and Assifa are active members of the Ismaili Muslim community. I have made many friends in that community and have had the opportunity to attend many events, celebrations and even funerals. Every year I consider the World Partnership Walk held on the last Sunday in May, to be a priority on my calendar — I've only missed a very few in the twelve years I've been in office.
This community and the people who form it know the meaning of citizenship and community. The social justice structure is second to none. Members volunteer their time in all aspects of both church and community function willingly and with an extensive time commitment and always (at least when I see them) with a large smile and true sense of dedication. There are many examples of both personal and community contribution — one simple one being the community breakfast at the Legislature and sponsoring the annual July 1st Citizenship Court at the Legislature (another event I rarely miss).
Anil recently spent 6 months in Afganistan on behalf of the Aga Khan Foundation working to rebuild education opportunities and community structure. He has only been home for a short term and now has been tasked by the Aga Khan Foundationto travel to Tajikistan for two years to do similar work building community structure. This is a true commitment of volunteerism and citizenship on both a local and global scale. Work of this nature fulfills a moral commitment to help construct a stable and enduring world and to help those who have less or are being oppressed. This is the mission we all contribute to, in a different but complementary way with our troops in Afghanistan.
I have to admire and respect the contributions made by individuals like Anil (and the contributions made by our men and women in service) who give their time, in his case as volunteers — to build and create hope and opportunity for others and in doing so bringing respect and friendship for Canada and Alberta.
Anil was meeting with me to reintroduce me to Dr. Karim Damji — a new Albertan. Dr. Damji is a well respected opthomologist recently arrived from Ottawa. I met him aboout 8 years ago when he was the Chair of the Ismaili Muslim community in Ottawa and had been invited to Edmonton to speak at the annual ISTAR lunch, held by the community to honour academic achievement by students in their commmunity. His comments were very moving, and I requested a copy of his remarks so that I could quote him, as I have done at every graduation I have spoken to since (and some other occasions).
In that speech Dr Damji recounted how he contributed a month every year to teaching at an Aga Khan University. That year I believe it was in Pakistan. This year he has just returned from Kenya. He also works with other doctors as well in a project called ORBIS which involves a flying operating theatre and instructional space (I believe a Boeng 767 or similar) fully equipped so that they can fly into underserviced areas of the world and perform necessary eye surgery while connecting to local classroom space and providing eyecare teaching to local physicians. A high tech version of the work that many medical practitioners provide as Doctors Without Borders.
Dr. Damji made it clear to the students and all present that he was not telling about his contributions as a matter of self-agrandizement and indeed he was quite humble about his contributions. His message was that we all have talents within us granted by God. Each of us has ability. It is our responsibility to take that God-given ability and with the help of our community through educational opportunity, maximize our potential — not just for our own satisfaction or fortune — but so that we can contribute back to our community in our maximum possible way.
It was and is an inspiring message. And his is an inspiring life. He practices in Alberta now and one of his goals is to find better ways to practice eye care through telehealth to remote or underserviced areas. With many areas, particularly northern and remote communities and with high incidence of diabetes, particularly among aboriginal populations, which can affect eyes, this will be very important work. We can learn from the work done abroad and we can add practice and knowledge here useful at home and abroad.
The Aga Khan Foundation in December opened a new Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa. Canada was chosen as I understand it, because of the Aga Khan's belief, which I wholeheartedly share, that Canada has a gift which we can offer to world stability. In Canada, and certainly here in Alberta we have a pluralistic, cosmoplitan society with people here having origins in all parts of the world. We live together here in peace and harmony better than any place in the world. It is not perfect — we still have racism, and we still have much to do — but we can celebrate the benefit that the nature of our society provides both in the richness of its cultural mosaic and in the opportunity it affords us to participate in a world economy with friends and family in all parts of the world. And we can contribute, as these individuals do, and as many others do, both as individuals and as parts of organizations — to provide education, to provide assistance, to build schools and community to provide health assistance and in many other ways to build a stable world.
Two books worth reading:
- Where Hope Takes Root: Democracy and Pluralism in an Independent World by the Aga Khan
- Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Let me shamelessly recommend another book "The Best Country - Why Canada Will Lead the Future" by my business partner Satya Das. It is in the same spirit about the positive plural nature of our society.
I have copies if anyone is interested.
I have read two of the three books mentioned above and now will look to read Three Cups of Tea. Love the topics and the spirit embodied in these texts.
To me, Canada is home, and always will be home. When we were unjustly ejected from Uganda, being citizens of that country (but only different in the colour of our skin), Canada opened it's arms to us. And thereafter, to many other peoples of the world who very treated unjustly by their governments and sort refuge and freedom, for better lives for their children in Canada.
But, by being amongst the most previleged society, where we have safety, security, free health care, education, and democratic vote, we have a moral obligation to assist those suppressed societies, in the role of a 'civil society'. We can no longer turn our backs on them, because our conscience will not allow us to.
There are amongst us here in Africa, many canadians who have curtailed their careers and lives to come to Africa and help. This opportunity is offered by the AKDN within its hospitals and schools. Young teachers, just out of teaching schools; senior medical staff, are giving up their safety nets, and 'coushy lives', to do what they think is morally right. To help develop and provide better education and health care which we enjoy in the west to the underpreviledged in these countries.
To quote His Highness the Aga Khan IV "There are those, who enter the world in such poverty that they are deprived of both the means and the motivation to improve their lot. Unless these unfortunates can be touched with the spark, which ignites the spirit of individual enterprise and determination, they will only sink back into renewed apathy, degradation and despair. It is for us, who are more fortunate, to provide that spark".