Canadian and Belgian Federalism: Round Table‪.‬

There are very definitely differences between Belgium and Canada -- their geographical area, to mention but one. There are also similarities. Both Canada and Belgium stand for the harmonious cohabitation of cultures, and both advocate a fair balance between common interests and separate interests. The following are abridged texts of presentations made at a conference during Canada-Belgium Week on October 20, 1999. Armand De Decker is Speaker of the Belgium Senate, Gerald A. Beaudoin is a member of the Senate of Canada, and Francis Delperee is a professor at the University of Louvain and a corresponding member of the Academie royale de Belgique and of the Institut de France. Armand De Decker: The question of how to define a federal state is one that has haunted legal experts for a very long time. What is it that separates a federal state from a unitary state, or from a regionalized state, or a confederation? In ethnological terms, the concept of foedus -- the alliance, covenant or voluntary agreement -- lies at the root of federalism. This alliance comprises a sort of social contract, in which not only spheres of influence and fields of jurisdiction, but also the rights of membership, are spelled out. Federalism amounts to practising the art of balance, reconciling respect for diversity with the goal of unity. On this point, it has been written that federalism is faithful to human nature -- to the need to come together without losing one's uniqueness and identity.