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The Middle East
In February, 2010, I received an email which purported to be from the United Nations. The email was inviting me to a peace conference in Malta and asking that I make a presentation on “The Role of Parliamentarians in the Peace Process”. I did not take it seriously and did not even respond to the email. I thought it was a false proposal.
Seated as a Speaker at the United Nations Peace Conference in Malta, hoping to get bumped.
Two days later I received a call from the United Nations in New York asking if I could give them a response to their email. During further discussions, I was told that they wanted me to be a guest speaker at a Peace Conference in Malta regarding the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. The United Nations offered to pay my way and also allowed me to have my assistant Lorne Berndt accompany me. I was quite taken aback by this invitation, especially when I saw the other guest speakers at the conference.
After the conference started, I said to my assistant Lorne that “I hope that I get bumped” because I did not have anywhere near the qualifications of the speakers before me. There were representatives from 45 countries. Hon Douglas Kmiec, United States Ambassador to Malta was present. I was the only North American on the speakers list.
After the conference started, I said to my assistant Lorne that “I hope that I get bumped” because I did not have anywhere near the qualifications of the speakers before me. There were representatives from 45 countries. Hon Douglas Kmiec, United States Ambassador to Malta was present. I was the only North American on the speakers list.
Comparing notes with his Excellency Ambassador Douglas Kmiec at the Peace conference. My Assistant Lorne Berndt in the background keeping track.
In the end I did not get bumped and I made my presentation. I talked about how parliamentarians could bring about wide-ranging talks if allowed to. With no restraints, parliamentarians can explore ideas that leaders could not.
Discussions with Hon Rudy Salles, representative from France, and explaining my proposal to Hon. Sa'ab Erakat, Chief Palestinian Peace negotiator.
After my presentation on The Role of Parliamentarians, I outlined my proposal for a Two-State Solution using the North American model. At the end of the conference the Honorable Rudy Salles, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and Co-chair of this conference said to me that there were 27 speakers outlining the problem . and only one with a proposed solution… and that was me.
During a break in the proceedings, I tried to show Jordanian MP, Hon. Suleiman Ghneimet, where Brookdale, Nova Scotia, is. Surprisingly, he had not heard of it.
When I asked who put my name forward, I was told that an Israeli diplomat nominated me to be on the speakers list. That meant a lot to me.
To say that this was a gratifying, humbling and interesting experience would be an understatement. I’ll never forget it. I made contacts there that I am still in touch with.
To say that this was a gratifying, humbling and interesting experience would be an understatement. I’ll never forget it. I made contacts there that I am still in touch with.