Lloyd Axworthy's new Facebook page intended to foster discussion on refugees

A new Facebook page launched by Canada's former foreign affairs minister is devoted to generating discussion about how to help refugees.

Lloyd Axworthy launched the page last week. It's called the Platform to Discuss New Ideas and Solutions to the World Refugee Crisis.

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On Sunday, Axworthy spoke about the page and his work on international migration at Grey Street United Church in Winnipeg as part of a new lecture series on refugees.

"This is becoming almost a defining issue for the century we're in. Sixty-five million people are now migrants and displaced. We're just beginning to look at the impacts of the wars and the conflicts with the increasing impact of the climate, and we have to have a real debate, discussion about what we can do," Axworthy said.

"Right now, I think a lot of the old systems are breaking down;they're not workingand we're seeing the rise of a very strong, authoritarian, anti-immigration position by many politicians, and that's very destructive."

International cooperation key: Axworthy

He said the social media page is intended to connect people of all ages and experiences from around the world.

"We're brand new and fresh and we already have several hundred responses from different parts of the world. It's really exciting," he said. "It means I have to get up an hour earlier in the morning to answer all those questions."

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Axworthy said Canada is one of the few countries in the world that maintains a relative openness to refugeesand needs to reach out to others like Germany, Sweden and Croatia to cooperate on the issue.

"I think it's going to be even more crucial now that we have an American president who wants to build walls and close the doors and treat people who are different as almost illegals and as criminals," Axworthy said.

"There's a lot that we have to do and the only way we can get the strength to do it is if we are coming together and communicating and trying to arrive at solutions."

That attitude doesn't only apply to cooperation between nations, he said.

"I'm going to be in Geneva next week, meeting with officials from the United Nations about thisand seeing how we can help promote an international agreement, but it also has to work at the local level, too," he said.

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Axworthy's public lecture series began on Jan. 18 at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg, followed by his appearance at the Grey Street United Church on Sunday.He said he hopes to continue the series on a bi-weekly or almost bi-weekly basis.