Canada: the Next Country of Europe
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GENERAL RICK HILLIER ON THE DECADE OF DARKNESS March–April 2007 Canada: The Next Country of Europe EU AMBASSADOR DORIAN PRINCE WANTS A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITHIN FOUR YEARS. WITH FULL MOBILITY RIGHTS. A chat with Britain’s new high commissioner Burkas and mini-skirts in Istanbul Ghana at 50: A struggle for democracy in Africa ESTABLISHED 1989 CDN $5.95 PM 40957514 Impressive setting … outstanding service … memorable events Consider holding your next event in an exciting cultural venue—the Canada Science and Technology Museum. Home to Canada’s most comprehensive science and technology collection, the Museum’s exhibition halls provide distinctive spaces for banquets, receptions or cocktail parties. In addition, dynamic, trained staff is available to offer your guests guided tours of the exhibitions, 1867 St Laurent Boulevard behind-the-scenes collection tours, astronomy programs, family-oriented activities, or workshops Ottawa, Ontario for children. sciencetech.technomuses.ca For more information, contact the facilities rental manager, Suzanne Beaulne at 613.991.6091, or by email, [email protected]. GENERAL RICK HILLIER ON THE DECADE OF DARKNESS March–April 2007 Canada: The Next Country of Europe EU AMBASSADOR DORIAN PRINCE WANTS A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITHIN FOUR YEARS. WITH FULL MOBILITY RIGHTS. A chat with Britain’s new high commissioner Burkas and mini-skirts in Istanbul Ghana at 50: A struggle for democracy in Africa ESTABLISHED 1989 CDN $5.95 The World in Canada PM 40957514 Volume 18, Number 1 PUBLISHER Neil Reynolds ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Table of Donna Jacobs EDITOR CONTENTS Jennifer Campbell ART DIRECTOR Paul Cavanaugh CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Daniel Drolet George Abraham Charles Enman CULTURE EDITOR Margo Roston COPY EDITOR DIPLOMATICA| Roger Bird Verbatim: An excerpt from the Decade of Darkness speech . 3 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Good Deeds: Kudos to Britain and Honduras . 5 Peter Zimonjic Q&A: Anthony Cary on Monty Python, Jeff Esau the Queen and climate change . 6 Innes Welbourne Margaret Amoakohene Diplomatic Agenda: Ghana at 50 . 7 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER New Arrivals: 10 new heads of mission . 9 Jana Chytilova Dyanne Wilson WEBMASTER DISPATCHES| Leslee McCabe Europe on the Move EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Europeans are moving all over the continental map . 14 Lisa Baroldi EU Ambassador Dorian Prince’s ambitious plan . 19 SUBSCRIPTIONS Quebec’s pitch for free trade with Europe . 20 Diplomat & International Canada is published six times a year. Subscription rates: individual, one year $35.70. For Canadian orders add 7 per cent DELIGHTS| GST. U.S. orders please add $15 for postage. All Books: All about Afghanistan . 22 other orders please add $25. Entertaining: Appetizers must entice . 24 SUBMISSIONS Wine: What determines the price . 26 Diplomat & International Canada welcomes Envoy’s Album . 28 submissions. Contact Jennifer Campbell, editor, Canadiana: Terry Fox’s legacy . 30 at [email protected] or (613) 231-8476. Destinations: Istanbul is a city of contrasts . 36 DIPLOMAT & INTERNATIONAL CANADA P.O Box 1173, Station B Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1P 5R2 DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS . 31 Phone: (613) 259-3038 Fax: (613) 259-5481 E-mail: [email protected] www.diplomatonline.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors. © 2007 ISSN 1190-8343 Published by Publication Mail # 40957514. Return undeliverable Canadian copies to: Diplomat Magazine, Sparrow House P.O. Box 1173, Station B, Ottawa, ON K1P 5R2 Enterprises Inc. DIPLOMATICA|EDITOR’S NOTE A continent on the move noshing. Britons are jet- CONTRIBUTORS ting to Hungary and he Treaties of Rome changed the the Czech Republic for Innes Welbourne, author of The City of world. If that statement sounds like price-is-right dental Extremes, page 36 Thyperbole, I can back it up – the care. Some of their signing of the treaties is ranked among the compatriots are even top 50 events that changed world history. being shipped by When EU Ambassador to Canada Do- British hospitals to JENNIFER CAMPBELL rian Prince spoke recently about Europe’s France for surgery, be- next 50 years, he mentioned the imminent cause the French system is under-used 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome. and the British system is overwhelmed. The polyglot diplomat (he speaks 12 lan- Patients love it, Mr. Prince said, because guages) also talked about the elegance of they come back patched up and carrying the language in the treaties, which were a case of fine French wine. They cross in- originally written in French. Finally, Mr. visible borders just like residents of Ot- Prince referenced the book by Hywel tawa cross to Gatineau, Que., and vice Williams, Days that Changed the World: The versa. 50 Defining Events of World History, which You’ll find the cover package, which Innes Welbourne is a writer and part-time lists in 41st position March 23, 1957, the also looks at Quebec Premier Jean voice-over narrator who’s been living in day that saw the launch of the common Charest’s proposal for free trade with the Istanbul for two years. When he’s not market in Europe. On the 50th anniver- EU, starting on page 14. busy trying to learn Turkish (he says it’s sary of the European Union, the truth of And there’s much else in this issue of more difficult than Arabic to speak), he the ranking is evident. Diplomat. We look at another “50,” with spends his days traveling the city, work- Now, as a bloc of 27 nations, Europe is Ghanaian High Commissioner Margaret ing on magazine articles and advertising, thriving. Yes, it has problems – tensions Amoakohene, who writes about her coun- among other projects. When not doing over about migration, loss of sovereignty try’s 50th birthday. Contributing editor any of that, and sometimes when he is, and a cookie-cutter approach to George Abraham looks at recent reads on he’s been accused of being a spy. economies – but many of the complaints Afghanistan. And kudos to food writer have been pro forma bluster, and there Margaret Dickenson, whose new book, LETTERS are plenty of success stories in this con- Margaret’s Table, has been recognized as Security exposed stantly evolving institution. To that end, last year’s best cookbook on entertaining Diplomat, under the direction its new by the Gourmand World Cookbook With respect to Daniel Drolet’s article “Se- publisher Neil Reynolds and associate Awards. She continues her series on the curity in the Bag” (Diplomat, Nov/Dec publisher Donna Jacobs, decided to look parts of the meal with appetizers. 2006), the story fails to fully explore the at Europe in the 21st-century. On the back page, check out our new role of the diplomatic bag in Canada’s Migration of impoverished immigrants travel feature, Destinations. Innes Wel- diplomatic history. was a big concern to the original 15 mem- bourne brings to life the sights and The introduction of some other na- ber states when 10 newbies joined the sounds of Turkey in his piece on Istan- tions’ experiences creates a somewhat dis- club in 2004, but, as Mr. Prince says in our bul. jointed picture. For us, diplomatic bags cover story, movement has been the EU’s Finally, please note that our main carried by couriers on aircraft co-existed single greatest accomplishment. The fact phone and fax lines have changed. The with incrementally refined electronic sys- that Norwegians are now retiring to the main line for the magazine is (613) 259- tems. It was never a case of pitting one south of Spain and setting up little com- 3038 and the fax is (613) 259-5481. You against the other. While Canadian diplo- munities is something to celebrate. Welsh may still call me direct at (613) 231-8476. mats rely on both forms of conveyance, ladies are flying to Estonia and back on aspects concerning diplomatic bags can the same day (at the bargain rate of $120 Jennifer Campbell is editor of Diplomat best be told by our colleagues, the Cana- return, taxes included) for shopping and magazine dian Diplomatic Couriers themselves. As for electronic systems, a wealth of infor- UP FRONT mation resides with the many retired De- partmental Communicators who own When photographer Brigitte Bouvier and operate the website www.affsc.ca. stepped into EU ambassador Dorian The following sites will be of interest: Prince’s office to take our cover shot, he Canadian Communications Centres made her feel comfortable with his (http://www.jproc.ca/crypto/canadian_ friendly and engaging manner. That was comm_center.html) and equally informa- a switch. Usually it’s her job to make the tive: Communications Rooms at Cana- subject feel comfortable. “It’s a lot easier dian Embassies (http://www.jproc.ca/ to get a creative picture of someone when crypto/canadian_embassy.html). you’re so comfortable with them. It’s a — David Smith, the Association of For- breath of fresh air,” Ms. Bouvier said. Her mer Foreign Service Communicators. photos of Mr. Prince also appear on pages Ottawa, Ontario. 14 and 19. 2 MARCH—APRIL 2007 FOR THE RECORD|DIPLOMATICA MEMO Chief of Defence Staff General ing education, training, peo- Rick Hillier received a lot of ink ple, postings, equipment, TO: Parliament when he addressed the 23rd fleets, maintenance, sea days, FROM: annual seminar of the Confer- yearly flying rates, ammunition ence of Defence Associations General Rick Hillier use and while, at the same time Institute on Feb. 16. He SUBJECT: we did that, increasing by a fac- made headlines for his com- Thanks for the help tor the number of operations ment about the “decade of after our decade of that we were conducting around darkness” under Liberal darkness the world, has led to a Canadian rule.