EMBASSYCANADA’S FOREIGN POLICY NEWSWEEKLY OTTAWA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010 ISSUE 338 • $3.00

ENVIRONMENT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PETER KENT page 14

‘PRINCIPLED’ APPROACH FIVE YEARS LATER, THE TERM ENDURES page 15

CHARTER IS THE GOVERNMENT PREPARING ITS CASE? page 16

THE BORDER A NEW ROUND OF ARGUING ERUPTS page 5 This session’s burning foreign affairs issues As the House returns and election talk heats up, the economy, budget freezes, stealth fighter jets and human smuggling will take centre stage. finishing a campaign platform, and Bloc Québécois budget get through Parliament. Could one of the Lee Berthiaume Leader Gilles Duceppe is touring la belle province three opposition parties prop up the Harper govern- to shore up support. ment again? fter a relatively quiet Christmas break, it looks Of course, such speculation has emerged before. A number of foreign policy and international Alike all four political parties are getting ready for In September 2009, the Liberals said they were going issues will see their importance increase or decrease

Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 a spring election. The Conservatives and Liberals to bring down the government. The NDP and Bloc depending on whether an election is called or not. both have attack ads out, the NDP is reportedly waffled. Then the Liberals let last year’s omnibus Continued on Page 10

AID Foreign policy priorities Canada, Qatar clash over MUSKOKA INITIATIVE TRANSPARENCY Palestine reference DEMANDED at times a moving target relations with which were already Anca Gurzu page 4 Over the ensuing five years, ana- strained because of the country’s dis- Carl Meyer lysts say those concrete foundations pute with the United Arab Emirates of the government’s approach to for- atari officials have publicly blast- and its staunchly pro-Israel policies. hen the Harper government first eign affairs have remained in place. Qed Canada, accusing it of throw- Launched at the G8 summit in 2004 Wbegan getting its feet wet in 2006, The military has seen progressively ing a wrench into a three-day summit in Sea Island, the Broader Middle East FOREIGN it consistently emphasized three main higher budgets; the government between G8 and Arab countries last and North Africa Initiative is a multilat- foreign policy priorities: Canada need- has tried to lobby the Americans week by refusing to include a Palestine eral program aimed at “enhancing an INVESTMENT ed a re-invigoration of relations with the as well as support their priorities reference in the final statement. open and inclusive dialogue between CHINA WILL BE United States; a restoration of its lost whenever possible; and each year Although Canadian officials have governments and civil society on LOOKING FOR CLARITY military pride; and the establishment of it has hacked away at more of the said negotiations are still ongoing, the issues of political and economic reform a more business-friendly economy that Canadian tax regime. incident has highlighted mounting fric- and human development” in order to page 8 would attract foreign investment. Continued on Page 12 tion between Canada and the region, Continued on Page 4 EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—2 Diplomacy This Week Americas, Israel get the telephone treatment Talking Points The ‘Year of India’ takes off Don’t wait for US green: Panel AVINASH GAVAI Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit A new report from the National Roundtable to India in late 2009 culminated in a deci- on Environment and the Economy concludes Chatter House sion to name 2011 as the “Year of India” in that Canada should not wait for the United Canada, a bi-governmental initiative that States to start tackling climate change, CBC n acquaintance of Chatter House has already seen considerable expenditure, News reported. The government-appointed living in the bellwether riding of planning and logistical effort taking place panel said Canada is putting its own emissions Peterborough, Ont., about an hour throughout last year. reductions targets—17 per cent below 2005 north of Toronto, recently received The “Year of India” is significant as it levels by 2020—in jeopardy. It said the country A should create a carbon cap and trade system an interesting phone call. It was from a com- symbolizes the growing importance of pany that was conducting a survey. Pretty political and economic ties between both and limit the price of a tonne of carbon to no standard stuff, so far. But then came the first Photo: Sam Garcia countries. The only comparable exercise more than $30 more than in the US. question: “Do you know what the Americas is?” was a Year of India in Russia that took place Those who follow Canadian foreign policy Embassy in 2008, and that was a far less extravagant Tories blamed for UAE spat know the Harper government has put a spe- Ernie Regehr speaking at the ceremony. affair than what will purportedly take place Former prime minister Jean Chrétien and cial emphasis on strengthening economic in the Great White North. Ontario Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello both and political ties in its hemispheric neigh- Peace Prize in 1957, knew quite a bit about The celebrations officially kicked off lashed out at the Conservative government bourhood. But apparently someone out there both peace and the difficult means through on Jan. 24, with the establishment of an for engaging in bad politics with the UAE, the wants to know how much average Canadians which it often could be achieved. India chair at the recently formed Canada- Globe and Mail and Montreal Gazette reported. are following the issue. That is why the United Nations Association India Centre for Excellence in Science, Mr. Chrétien made his remarks at a conference It’s unclear whether the government com- in Canada decided to name a prestigious Technology, Trade and Policy at Carleton in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while Ms. Pupatello is missioned the survey or the opposition or honour after him recognizing noble pursuits University. visiting the Gulf region, including the UAE for even a university. A Foreign Affairs spokes- towards the betterment of the world. Indian High Commissioner SM Gavai and four days, on a trade trip. woman said in an email that the department On Jan. 21, peace and nuclear disarma- Carleton President Roseann O’Reilly Runte “consults with Canadians on a wide range ment activist Ernie Regehr became the inked an MOU, which is the latest initiative Tunisian presidential family probed of policy issues and to evaluate government first recipient of the distinguished Pearson in a series of growing collaborative efforts Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says programs” and that an Americas survey was Peace Medal since Senator Roméo Dallaire between the two countries. his department is looking into whether some “initiated” in 2008 to gauge public opinion. received one in 2004. In a ceremony hosted Mr. Gavai said the aim is to “showcase family members of exiled Tunisian president No word on whether it continued or not. by Gov. Gen. David Johnston, honourary India’s rich art and culture, as well as its Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who have fled to However, if it was the government, some of patron of the medal, at Rideau Hall, Mr. rapid rise as an economic power, thereby Canada have forfeited their permanent resi- the questions were extremely telling, including: Regehr’s contribution was fêted in style. promoting closer people-to-people ties dency status here, the National Post reported. “Should Canada help monitor the drug trade in Mr. Regehr helped start Project Plough- across a broad range of educational, busi- Permanent residents must live in Canada for Mexico?” “Should we be involved in helping to shares, a church-backed peace organization ness and other social sectors.” at least two years within a five-year period, democratize Latin America?” and “Should we in 1976, and even today, at 69, is widely The “Year of India” will see an incred- but critics of Mr. Ben Ali say his family mem- continue aid to Haiti?” sought after by experts, academics, dip- ible range of cultural, business and bers could not have possibly done so. The last question was particularly interest- lomats and even foreign governments in a educational conferences and festivities ing. There are no indications Canada is looking wide range of strategic fields. take place across nine Canadian cities to pull out of Haiti, but $550 million in aid com- According to UNA-Canada, Mr. Regehr—also Canadian favourite in scandal throughout 2011, including the cornerstone The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, mitted in 2006 is slated to run out this year. a contributor to this paper—was recognized International Indian Film Academy awards There’s obviously been millions more pledged “for his important contributions to the national Tuberculosis and Malaria, to which Canada (the Indian version of the Oscars) that will committed $540 million last year for a total of since last January’s earthquake, but could how and international dialogue on disarmament and be held in Toronto in June. This will mark Canadians respond to the question decide peace…. He is a seasoned and tenacious advo- $1.5 billion since 2001, is under investigation the first time the ceremony, which has following reports of significant corruption, the whether the next pledge is big or small? cate of the causes of nuclear disarmament in travelled all around the world, will arrive Either way, this isn’t the first instance of tele- particular, arms control in general, and sustain- Canadian Press reported. Internal investigations in North America. found the fund had lost $34 million in some phone calls pertaining to international affairs able approaches to human security and peace.” [email protected] being made. On Jan. 13, reporter Dale Smith Mr. Regehr’s interest in peace may have African nations, with only $19 million recov- of gay and lesbian newspaper Xtra reported started in Canada, but it truly manifested ered. One of Canada’s priority donor countries, that he received a call where “a female voice itself in Africa during the 1970s where he Mali, is at the centre of the findings, with $4 on the other end said that she was calling from says he “became increasingly aware of the million allegedly misappropriated. Fund officials ‘Supporter Services’ on behalf of Prime Minister extent to which these new and de-colonized defended the organization, saying they are Stephen Harper, and she asked if I thought it nations were spending vast amounts of doing more to address the issue of corruption was important for Canada to support the State money for military purposes—which they than similar development organizations. of Israel…. I had a few other people tell me couldn’t afford.” they’d been told similar stories.” “The combination of this Canadians visit Czechs over visas Is the government’s support for the Jewish rampant military expendi- Canadian immigration experts will travel state and Haiti really decided by telephone sur- ture and lack of develop- to the Czech Republic at the end of the month veys? If so, it would explain a lot. ment left an indelible to learn how the Central European country impression on me.” treats its ethnic minorities for a potential revi- Embodying the Pearson spirit Mr. Regehr continues sion of the visa requirements, the Prague Daily Martin Luther King once said that “Peace to be active in the global Monitor reported, attributing the information is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but peace movement and is to the Canadian Embassy in Prague. The visit a means by which we arrive at that goal.” now working on a book Photo: Sam Garcia will take place from Jan. 31 to Feb. 4. Canada Lester B. Pearson, the Canadian pro- of issues on military imposed visa requirements on Czech citizens fessor, historian, civil servant, statesman, intervention and inter- Embassy in July 2009 in response to a drastic increase in diplomat, and politician who won the Nobel national stability. SM Gavai and Roseann O’Reilly Runte. asylum seekers from the country, mainly Roma.

s the world gets smaller and borders disappear, Athe skills needed to succeed are becoming increasingly specialized—even as new opportunities emerge. Human rights, environmental policy analysis, international commercial law and dispute resolution are only some of the new areas that have become hugely important in today’s world. EDUCATION The Embassy Spring Report on Education will look at Publication Date: AN EMBASSY what options are out there, what new and innovative courses Feb. 16, 2011 different institutions are offering, and what students should (space and creative Feb. 11th 2 PART REPORT know when they are making this important decision. noon Ottawa time) While investing in an education will help you get a leg up on the competition, getting real-life experience and mak- ing connections are an essential second step. Publication Date: That’s why in its Fall Report on Education, Embassy will Oct. 19, 2011 examine international internships and other options avail- (space and creative Oct. 14th able to students to get a head start and take their newly- acquired skills out into the world. noon Ottawa time) With both reports featuring in-depth analysis, exclu- sive interviews and opinion pieces, we’ll help you get Eighty-seven percent of our readers say Embassy reports and policy briefi ngs are helpful to making informed professional decisions.* ready to face this new globalized and competitive world. * Pollara market research survey 2007 Only in Embassy. For more information or to reserve your advertising space in this issue, contact Embassy display advertising at 613-232-5952 ext. 213

EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—4 News Canada, Qatar clash over Palestine reference Continued from Page 1 We urge parties to return to direct bilateral create partnerships and foster open dialogue negotiations to achieve a comprehensive to advance the progress and development of peace settlement.” the region, according to the Department of But the Forum of the Future is a relevant Foreign Affairs and International Trade. medium for many Arab countries to be dis- Much like the G8 has numerous ministe- cussing the Middle East Peace Process, and rial meetings and summits, the Initiative’s Canada just seems to be sending confusing main event is a Forum of the Future, which messages about its own policy about the aims to bring together about 20 countries Israeli-Palestinian conflict, said NDP Foreign from the North Africa and the Middle East Affairs critic Paul Dewar. region, G8 members and hundreds of repre- The 2009 co-chair statement hosted by sentatives from civil society and business Morocco and Italy re-stated the need to groups. Each year’s forum is co-chaired achieve a two-state solution consistent with by the G8 president and a nation from the several highly-accepted UN resolutions on region, with the two nations expected to the issue. Qatari officials were quoted as issue a joint statement highlighting that saying that Canada and the Middle Eastern year’s work. country could not agree on a statement that On Jan. 13, Foreign Affairs Minister is less substantial than the previous one. Lawrence Cannon was in Doha to co-chair Mr. Dewar couldn’t understand the gov- the 7th Forum of the Future. However, a joint ernment’s position. statement wasn’t released because, according “I would think that our government would to the state-run Qatar News Agency, Canada Photo: Lee Berthiaume want to see us involved in any process that “insisted that the statement should exclude a was looking at moving ahead with the Middle paragraph on the Palestinian issue.” Embassy East Peace process,” he said. “That was the Although the exact details of the contested Canada does not believe the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative is the appropriate forum intent of the conference and it’s unfortunate paragraph remain unknown, Qatari Minister of to be negotiating the final status issues of Middle East peace process, Canadian officials say. that we decided that we are not going to State for Foreign Affairs Ahmad Bin Abdullah participate.” Al Mahmoud said the paragraph “on the “had intervened with the Canadian minister ple of days after Defence Minister Peter Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae said Palestinian question is important and sensitive, to back the Qatari proposal.” MacKay met with Palestinian President what is surprising is the fact that the disagree- pertaining to the Palestinian cause, the borders Qatari diplomats in Washington did not Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of ment over the format of the text had not been of the Arab territories occupied in 1967 and provide Embassy with more details about Ramallah on Jan. 12 during his official visit resolved before the meeting, as is normally related UN Security Council resolutions.” this confrontation. Questions sent to the to the Middle East. the case at such international meetings. As evidence of the country’s displea- delegation of the Palestinian Authority in Ms. Lantsman said Canada is not against “In the normal course of events the com- sure, the minister was quoted as saying that Ottawa were also left unanswered. including a paragraph with reference to muniqué is something that’s worked on long “Qatar would not accept a meeting to be Melissa Lantsman, Mr. Cannon’s spokes- Palestine. before,” he said. held on home soil that ignores the legitimate person, said Canada is committed to con- “That’s patently false,” she told Embassy. Mr. Rae said Canada used to be a con- rights of the Palestinian people.” tinuing to work with Qatar to finalize a “That’s not what we are negotiating here. We structive player in the Middle East, but that The same agency reported that “numerous co-chair statement “that reflects this prog- are negotiating the wording of the statement.” has been changing. discussions were made with the Canadian side ress and takes into account the situation in However, Ms. Lantsman also said that “It’s just surprising to me that the govern- to discourage it from its position, but it was the region, including the Middle East Peace “Canada does not believe [the Broader ment seems to be unable to find a way to adamant on its position.” According to anoth- Process, including a paragraph on the issue.” Middle East and North Africa Initiative] is the bridge the gaps which other Canadian govern- er article on the Qatar News Agency website, The disagreement over the Palestine appropriate forum to be negotiating the final ments have always been able to do,” he said. French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie reference coincidently came just a cou- status issues of Middle East peace process. [email protected] Muskoka Initiative transparency demanded ■ While the prime minister “It will be incumbent on Canada to set a change CIDA by insisting on an outputs- good example to the rest of the world,” said based environment, and has implemented co-chairs a UN accountability World Vision Canada president Dave Toycen new financial reporting, as well as annual commission, his government is in an email. But, he added, “despite all of the reports to Parliament on CIDA. movement and positive intentions, it is still But the annual reports are more brochures accused of hiding its own fi gures. actually challenging to follow CIDA’s funding than real evaluations of the aid agency’s work. on this, so greater transparency is needed In addition, the government initially refused to Avinash Gavai moving forward.” reveal to some African countries that they had During the G8 summit in Muskoka, been dropped as bilateral aid partners until ven as Prime Minister Stephen Harper Canada pledged $2.85 billion over five years the news went public in February 2009, and the Eprepares to co-chair a new UN account- for maternal and child health, of which it government has repeatedly refused to explain ability commission on maternal and child said $1.1 billion was new money. However, its plans for long-term assistance to Africa. health this week, concerns are being voiced Mr. Toycen repeated a common complaint Gerry Barr, president and CEO of the about his own government’s lack of transpar- since the summit, saying that “it is difficult Canadian Council for International Co-operation, ency on the issue. to determine what is new money and what is said the Harper government’s track record on The United Nations Commission for already pledged money.” aid reporting doesn’t prompt much hope. Information and Accountability for Women’s “We look forward to more transparent “They are now managing a new system for and Children’s Health was created in reporting on this as Canada rolls out its proposals with [non-governmental organiza- December to oversee the nearly $40-billion in remaining funds of the $1.1 billion for the tions] where the standards and criteria remain pledges contributed to the effort. Muskoka Initiative.” secret,” he said. “You still can’t get a straight Having championed the cause with A CIDA spokesperson said in an email answer on why KAIROS was defunded.” Canada’s G8 presidency, Mr. Harper was that “funding allocations to countries will Complicating matters when it comes to chosen to co-chair the commission with be determined in discussions with coun- the Muskoka Initiative is the still-divisive Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, and will try partners and will be publicly reported debate over excluding abortion. arrive in Geneva on Jan. 26 to start working. to Canadians in annual CIDA reports to Mary Ellen Douglas, national organizer In a briefing with reporters on Jan. 21, Parliament and to Canadians. for the anti-abortion group Campaign Life Mr. Harper’s spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, “Canada will also design an accountabil- Coalition, said that she hoped Harper would said Canada and the prime minister are well- ity framework to measure progress, track “use his influence” and lobby against abortion placed to head the commission because “we results and ensure that Canada’s investment at the commission. The UN secretary-general’s placed accountability for results at the core helps its partner countries achieve a sustain- maternal and child health strategy, which the of the G8 Muskoka initiative.” able reduction in maternal and child mortal- commission will be implementing, includes Yet Canada’s record on reporting its aid ity,” Charleen Bortot added. supporting safe abortions where they are legal. spending, results and other accountability Over the past few years, the Harper gov- Both pro-life and pro-choice groups will measures have long been a sore spot for civil ernment has adopted what it calls an “effec- be scouring all CIDA reports related to the society groups, donor partners and other tiveness agenda” on aid that proclaims to initiative looking for indications the Harper stakeholders, including under the Harper focus on better accountability and transpar- government is including or excluding abor- PMO Photo government. The new Muskoka Initiative has ency, making it appear to be an idea leader tion, and even family planning. Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks about mater- so far been no exception. for the commission. It has attempted to [email protected] nal and child health at the G-8 Summit in June. EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—5 International Trade Perimeter border deal a tightrope walk

Carl Meyer ing at the earliest opportunity,” even beyond rity strategy involving beefed up infrastruc- that respects Canadian sovereignty is simply the border area. ture—personnel, gates, roads, buildings and not possible. Critics argue that the United States Perimeter security has been the dream of equipment. is still in a garrison mode almost 10 years after hile a new Canada-US border security most Canada-US watchers, with the idea to After paying for this infrastructure, spend- 9/11, its politicians unwilling to flinch on border Wdeal is reportedly in the works and will stop threats before they reach either country ing time putting it all together and bringing it security out of fear of retribution from voters. emerge into the light this spring, experts and by air, sea or land. This includes airport secu- all into service over the last several years, Stuart Trew, trade campaigner at the critics aren’t sure it’s actually possible for rity overseas, stronger maritime enforcement, the US is hesitant to begin tearing it down. Council of Canadians, said the deal would Canada’s government to negotiate what the and tougher entry and exit rules. In return, It is also unclear how badly the Americans not create a new border regime between country is looking for. the two countries will be able scale back on want a deal. US border security expert Rich the two countries, but would in fact create There are two reasons for this. First, security at the 49th parallel, facilitating trade. Cooper, currently a principal with Washington two regimes, one for North America and one any mention of a security-trade deal with But after the 9/11 attacks, Canada and the lobbying firm Catalyst Partners, has argued between Canada and the US. the United States automatically re-ener- US signed a series of border agreements that that the Department of Homeland Security’s Mr. Trew argued that when it comes to gizes age-old concerns among some seg- moved to harmonize a significant amount of head office is tight-lipped about how it will be items like immigration, refugees, surveil- ments of the population over selling out policy. As it stands, Canada and the United dealing with the US government’s umbrella lance and travel policy, the fact that Canada Canadian sovereignty and standards for States now already have a “de facto” perim- plan to co-ordinate the activities of the two law and the US have been harmonizing actually market access. eter, argues Canada-US expert Chris Sands, a enforcement agencies, one bureau and one mil- points to a reason not to sign any border While dealing with these often vocal Hudson Institute senior fellow. itary branch that all deal with border issues. agreement, since the harmonization has not groups is difficult, another challenge is actu- Take NORAD, integration of the Coast Guard And this range of actors is important to resulted in any thinning of the border yet. ally changing the mindset in Washington, and Great Lakes security, the exchanging of air- keep in mind as all deal with security, not He said that Canadian sovereignty would where security has become the overriding plane passenger manifests, cross-border immi- trade. Which highlights the difficulty of rais- be diminished since Canada would be forced concern for many. gration and terrorism watch lists, cross-border ing the commercial arguments for moving to adopt US-style border controls like the US The new negotiations were first brought surveillance, integrated border and maritime things away from the border and accepting VISIT system, which obtains biometrics like fin- to light after a draft five-page document was law enforcement teams, joint shipping contain- that Canada can do its part. gerprints from citizens not from North America. leaked to the media in December. Entitled er inspections, and co-ordinated border travel True, a high-level agreement signed by That would be implemented, he argued, at all “Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for programs, among other policies. the president and prime minister will draw Canadian border posts, including maritime and Perimeter Security and Competitiveness,” The fact is that while the draft document attention to the issue, experts say, perhaps air, not necessarily just at the posts with the US. it was to be signed by Canadian Prime calls for increased co-ordination in a number move the yardsticks a bit. But, according So what will it take for everyone to be Minister Stephen Harper and US President of areas, any perimeter deal signed by both to Donald K. Alper, director of the Center happy? A lot, say experts. Barack Obama, but the ceremony has since countries would largely be a ratification of for Canadian-American Studies at Western Prime Minister Stephen Harper weighed been delayed. activities already taking place, he argued. Washington University, “The level of interest into the debate in January, saying that on The draft document calls for a “perimeter The problem is that Canada, for all its on this side is, well, that’s a big yawn.” the issue of Canadian sovereignty being approach to security” in a way that still sup- signing of border deals in the past decade, threatened by US demands, “that balloon got ports economic prosperity and cross-border still decided in the grander scheme of things Deal not possible? punctured a long time ago.” But while he said competitiveness. It calls for common stan- against opting into a perimeter deal soon after Meanwhile, groups that have raised con- the government recognizes that it is running dards for biometrics, the sharing of real-time the attacks. When Canada said no, the US had cerns about Canada lowering its standards, a “continental economy” he cautioned that travel information and an integrated entry- to figure out its own model, argued Mr. Sands, either in terms of privacy, immigration policies this would not necessarily mean the adop- exit system made possible through “screen- and adopted a “concentric rings” border secu- or product safety, suggest that any border deal tion of American policy.

READY TO PLAY A ROLE IN IMPROVING Trade minister says THE POLITICAL CULTURE OF CANADA? EU talks still on track the EU would use the negative list, so the Anca Gurzu European Commission has to obtain approv- al for the move from all 27 member states. espite several delays that have slowed “There was a hope that it would have Ddown the work of Canadian and European been resolved by now,” Mr. Van Loan said. negotiators, Canada’s international trade “But we knew going into this round that was minister says the two parties are still on not going to happen.” track for completing a comprehensive free This technical delay is also the reason trade deal by the end of year. why the two parties had to postpone by a “By all accounts we have…made forward few months the exchange of formal offers on progress and narrowed the gaps in about some of the deal’s most sensitive issues, such every area where we were looking to make as services and government procurement. progress,” Peter Van Loan told Embassy in But the minister said that “if we are to an interview on Monday following the sixth accept what the Europeans said about their round of talks in Brussels. “This is again timelines, we should be having a presenta- Carleton University is now seeking faculty viewed as positive.” tion of offers sometime in March.” Mr. Van Loan did not want to be specific Mr. Van Loan also defended Canada’s for the new Clayton H. Riddell Graduate about the type of concrete progress made, push for the inclusion of a investor-to-state Program in Political Management. saying he wants to leave the details to dispute settlement mechanism similar to behind-the-scenes negotiators, but did state NAFTA’s controversial Chapter 11 in the final that the issues discussed are becoming more deal with the EU. This is another change The first of its kind in Canada, this one-year full-time master’s substantial as talks become deeper. Still, that led to further delays, as the European degree will prepare students for careers as staff members to he said, the success of talks has surpassed Commission had to ask for an extended expectations so far. mandate, since the EU has never included elected representatives, political managers and strategists, “So far what I have seen is far more prog- such a clause in any of its previous free trade and political liaison officers for civil society organizations. ress ahead of schedule than any unexpected agreements. delays,” Mr. Van Loan said. “It’s quite normal that we want our inves- To staff and deliver the degree, Carleton University seeks One of the delays has been Canada’s tors to have protection when they make tenure-track faculty with the necessary political experience inability to agree with the EU on what mech- investments,” he said. and appropriate academic qualifications. anism should be used for liberalizing servic- Although the deal with the EU would es. Canada wants to use a so-called negative allow European companies large access to To learn more or to apply, visit us online at list: all service sectors are liberalized except provincial procurement contracts, the min- carleton.ca/politicalmanagement the sensitive ones, which are put on the list ister said he does not expect to see many and remain exempted. The Europeans, on compensation cases brought to arbitration. Subject to approval by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies. the other hand, are in favour of the positive “I think we have very compatible systems between the European Union and Canada list: everything on the list will be liberalized Faculty of and what is not included is protected. and similar processes that are democratic Graduate and Canada has been pushing for the nega- and respectful of property rights,” he said. Postdoctoral Affairs tive list, as the positive one is seen as more The seventh round of talks will be held in restrictive. This would be the first time Ottawa in April. EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—6 Editorial Page MASTER AND MANIPULATOR The Haitian election follies n Jan. 20, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews spent thousands of dollars on a So “Baby Doc” is not just a deluded no- special trip to Vancouver to deliver an important message: Canadian attitudes hoper, although he is unlikely ever to be on refugees are souring. president again. His presence in Haiti will “Certainly the polling after the arrival of the Sun Sea indicated a serious drop in O frighten the outgoing president, Rene Preval, the support to our immigration and refugee system,” the minister told reporters Wednesday, and his chosen successor, Jude Celestin—as referring to the ship that arrived off the coast of BC last year with 500 Tamil asylum-seekers. GWYNNE it was doubtless intended to do. “I see a hardening of the attitude of many Canadians in respect to the immigration system.” Haiti has been in a protracted political crisis Mr. Toews went on to say that the only way to stop this trend was to get Bill C-49, DYER since the presidential election last November, the government’s supposed anti-human smuggling legislation, approved in Parliament. with accusations of fraud flying in all directions. But the truth is, this “hardening” is the direct result of the Tories, led by Mr. Toews confidential 2006 cable from the The outside powers that have effectively run the and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney badmouthing refugees and asylum seekers. The US embassy in Haiti, subsequently country since 2004—the United States, Canada latter has made an art out of using anti-refugee rhetoric to manipulate public opinion made public by Wikileaks, said that and France—didn’t want Preval’s candidate to and turn Canadians against asylum-seekers. the United States viewed the possi- win, and they are making sure he doesn’t. Too harsh? In July 2009, as it prepared to unveil major changes to the country’s A ble return of either of two exiled Haitian ex- Preval was a little too independent-mind- internationally-lauded refugee system, the government commissioned a nationwide sur- presidents, Jean-Bertrand Aristide or Jean- ed for their taste, though nobody would vey and several public focus groups on the subject. Many of the questions were geared Claude Duvalier, as “unhelpful.” But one of accuse him of being a raving leftist. They towards getting reactions to specific words. them, former president-for-life Jean-Claude must have feared that Celestin would also The key word used throughout? “Bogus.” As in bogus refugee claimaints. Turns “Baby Doc” Duvalier, is already back in Haiti, have a mind of his own because they altered out participants had a more negative, emotional, knee-jerk reaction to that word than probably with Washington’s approval. the outcome of the recent election to make “unfounded.” “Baby Doc” took over the dictatorship sure that he wasn’t in the run-off. Since then, Mr. Kenney has intentionally used the word “bogus” as often as he can when from his dying father, Francois “Papa Doc” It was not very subtly done. Celestin describing refugee claimants. War resisters, Olympic athletes, Roma from the Czech Republic Duvalier, at the age of 19 in 1971, and ruled came second in the election, and since no and Hungary, Mexicans, Tamils arriving on boats. Bogus, bogus, bogus, bogus, bogus. with same brutality and greed as his father candidate had won 50 per cent of the vote, If nothing else, Mr. Kenney is a brilliant manipulator who knows how to get his way until he was driven from power and into he should have been a candidate in the and advance an agenda. Whether there are legitimate asylum-seekers within those exile in 1986. What could have made him run-off second round. But then the “expert groups is irrelevant; through repetition, generalizations and stereotyping perpetuated think it was a good idea to come back now? verification mission”—six of whose seven by Mr. Kenney and, more recently, Mr. Toews, the Canadian public is being groomed to If you believe the headlines, he has made “experts” come from the United States, think them all conniving liars looking to take advantage of our fine country. a dreadful mistake. On Jan. 18, only two days Canada or France—changed the results. Since coming to power, the Harper government has committed itself to taking after his return, “Baby Doc” was brought They disqualified a lot of pro-Celestin votes, incremental steps to move Canada to the right of the political spectrum after years of before a court in Port-au-Prince and charged pushing him down to third place, but they Liberal rule. It has done this through strategic appointments to boards and commis- with official corruption, embezzlement of didn’t actually do a recount. They just arbitrari- sions, increasing or decreasing funding to various programs and organizations, and funds, money laundering and assassination. ly threw out 234 tally sheets, mostly from areas implementing new policies or changing existing ones. But things are not always what they seem. that were pro-Celestin. They didn’t even exam- While any new government can be expected to bring in its own vision, what’s First, there is the fact that both the United ine more than 90 per cent of the ballot sheets. disturbing is that the Harper government has relied heavily on subterfuge and States and France, where Duvalier was living The man now facing frontrunner Mirlande public manipulation. For instance, in 2006, Canada expected to grant a minimum of in exile, would have been keeping track of Manigat in the run-off, according to those 32,800 refugees permanent residency. In 2010, that target had been quietly cut by 40 him, and must have known of his intention to “experts,” is Haiti’s best-known pop musician, per cent, to 19,600. return. Indeed, they probably put him up to it: Michel Martelly, who is as reliably pro-Washing- The Harper government, led by Mr. Kenney, has made a concerted effort to muddy he was travelling on a long-expired diplomatic ton as she is. If that decision stands, Celestin the refugee issue, and is now moving ahead with its original plan to all but strangle the passport, and would never have been allowed falls. But Rene Preval’s government is still flow of asylum-seekers to Canada. Their concerns over Canadian attitudes “hardening” to board the plane to Haiti if Washington and resisting that decision, so it was time to fright- towards refugees would be laughable if the issue wasn’t so serious. Paris had not quietly blessed his trip. en him into submission. Enter “Baby Doc.” Ironically, Mr. Kenney was in Halifax the same day Mr. Toews was in Vancouver. In Secondly, he may never see the inside of Or at least, that’s probably what’s hap- this instance, the immigration minister was commemorating how Canada turned away a jail. He was set free after the court hear- pening, though it doesn’t make a lot of a ship carrying 900 Jewish asylum-seekers in 1939, many of whom were killed by the ing without even having to post bail, and sense. Why not? Because what happens in Nazis when they returned to Europe. But who will commemorate those genuine refu- the chief magistrate has 90 days to decide Haiti doesn’t really matter in the least to the gees Mr. Kenney and the Harper government turn away to their deaths? whether there is enough evidence to bring United States, Canada or France. him to trial. A lot can happen in 90 days. Haitian politics are convoluted and turbu- Thirdly, “Baby Doc” has some support in lent because the major players have no loyalty Haiti, as witnessed by the crowds chanting beyond their own self-interests, but so long as support for him outside the court. It has been the other exiled ex-president, Jean-Bertrand 25 years since he left power, and most of the Aristide, doesn’t come back, the game is of no 10 million Haitians are under 25. They don’t importance to the outside powers. Aristide, remember the kidnappings, torture and murder currently living in South Africa, could play a of opponents of the Duvaliers, father and son, role in the Caribbean similar to that of Hugo by the regime’s militia, the Tonton Macoute. Chavez in Venezuela if he regained power, but They do remember their parents saying that is not currently on the cards. that Haitians lived better under the Duvaliers What is going on in Haiti at the moment and, unfortunately, it is true. Since then they is actually just Brownian motion. The have seen some intervals of democracy, punc- outside powers have nothing important at tuated by military coups and foreign interven- stake, but the music goes on playing so they tions, but living standards had declined steep- feel that they have to dance. Foolish and ly even before the huge earthquake last year futile, but perfectly normal. that killed three per cent of the population. [email protected] LOOKING FOR SOME VALUE IN QUEBEC “Religious freedom exists but there are other values. For instance, multiculturalism is not a Quebec value. It may be a Canadian one Quote but it is not a Quebec one.” of the —Parti Québécois secularism critic Louise Beaudoin to The Globe and Mail after a group of Sikhs carry kirpans, their ornamental Week daggers, were refused entry into Quebec legislature on Jan. 18. Ironically, they were there to speak on accommodation of minorities.

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chose to express his displeasure by quietly wearing a “Fly Emirates” baseball cap to the Looking for next Conservative Party caucus meeting. In an attempt to convince the public that this whole affair was no big deal, the Harper faithful spread the word that Canada had plenty of short-term alternate options avail- a Mirage in able to relocate Mirage. One was the German air base in Termez, Uzbekistan, the other the US transit center in Manas, Kyrgyzstan. A closer examination of the circumstanc- Azerbaijan es surrounding these two airfields makes it clear that neither is a likely long-term solu- tion. For one thing, the Germans are only barely clinging to their landing privileges SCOTT TAYLOR and facilities in Uzbekistan. In 2005, a furious President Karimov kicked the Americans out of their leased Inside Defence base in Khanabad and subsequently denied the US Air Force—and most NATO coun- tries—the use of Uzbek airspace. The German military presence in Termez ast October, when it was first remains a closely guarded media secret within announced that the United Arab Uzbekistan as President Karimov continues to Emirates was turfing the Canadian publicly vow the expulsion of all “foreign rab- LForces from the Camp Mirage air ble-rousers.” Only the payment of tens of mil- base in Dubai, I had predicted this would lions of Euros and a low profile have enabled be a serious setback to our operations in the Germans to keep operating out of Termez. Afghanistan. Coincidentally, some media pundits in

Not so, claimed the Harper Conservatives Germany have commented on the irony of pay- DND Photo who had triggered the diplomatic crisis by refus- ing large sums of money to prop up the despot- Canada faces slim pickings in alternate military staging bases, but one option might be Baku. ing to grant the UAE additional flights and land- ic rule in Uzbekistan in order to combat des- ing rights for their national Emirates airline. potic insurgents in neighbouring Afghanistan. saving gesture to enable the Kyrgyz govern- the Luftwaffe crews I saw eating breakfast in Sure, we had used the Camp Mirage facil- As for the US transit centre in Manas, ment to fulfil its public pledge of ridding the my hotel during a recent visit to Baku. ities for over nine years rent-free, and the Kyrgyzstan, this former Soviet air base country of American bases. Again, this does Of course, it might mean Canada has to UAE even reportedly provided vital medical was, ironically, the major staging facility for not exactly seem like the sort of warm and open up a small, reciprocal diplomatic mis- care for many of our wounded at no charge operations in Afghanistan during the latter’s welcoming campground in which Canada sion in Azerbaijan (the Azerbaijanis estab- to Canadians, including flying several home, occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. should be looking to pitch a tent. lished an embassy in Ottawa in September first-class, on Emirates airlines. Dubbed the “Gateway to Hell” by Soviet That said, I hereby nominate Baku, the 2004, but Canada still conducts its diplomat- But in the opinion of Prime Minister soldiers, the moniker has been retained by capital of Azerbaijan, as the most suitable ic relations with Azerbaijan from Ankara, Stephen Harper, the very notion that we the tens of thousands of American personnel regional location for us to establish our next Turkey, some 1,400 kilometres from Baku). should provide commercial air access in who have transited through en route to com- logistical staging area. There is also the possibility that, as a “good exchange for all this made the UAE “bad allies.” bat posts in Afghanistan. Although not a member of NATO, ally,” we might offer to pay the Azerbaijanis To be fair, it must be noted that Defence Since February 2009, the Kyrgyzstan gov- Azerbaijan has troops in Afghanistan and has some rent for their facilities. Even so, it would Minister Peter MacKay understood how ernment has threatened the Americans with been a member of NATO’s Partnership for be a small price to pay compared to the cur- vital Mirage was to maintain our battle expulsion from Manas. The political pres- Peace program since 1994. While not entirely rent ludicrously expensive stop-gap measure of group in Kandahar. However, Harper chose sure from Kyrgyzstan has had the short- without corruption, this oil-rich former Soviet renting civilian airport use in Cyprus and hav- to ignore MacKay and instead accepted the term impact of more than tripling the rental republic is politically stable and eager to ing our soldiers stay in hotels. counsel of then-transport minister John price to a whopping US$63 million annually. increase trade and development with the West. Scott Taylor is editor and publisher of Baird. Rather than resigning in protest and In addition, the base was recently Other NATO air forces are staging cargo Esprit de Corps magazine. confronting Baird in an open forum, MacKay renamed a transit center as a cosmetic face- flights through Azerbaijan, as evidenced by [email protected] Afghanistan and the regional blindspot supported the Dubai Peace process around Pakistan mattered but their views did not not expect CIDA, for example, to have a com- DAVID CARMENT the same time. The Canadian government impact the policy process back in Ottawa. prehensive appreciation for regional dynamics also supports the proposed development This could have been because parliamen- since it operations and focus are primarily of a Pakistan-Afghanistan super highway. tarians themselves were only partially or internal to Afghanistan. By the same token, the recent issue of Canadian Foreign To be sure, a 2009 CSIS report on Pakistan ill -informed. A 2007 report produced by military mindset was primarily focused on win- Policy Journal has taken up the chal- indicated that Canada was at least analyti- Gordon Smith of Canadian Defence and ning the “war” in Afghanistan. lenge of explaining the impact that cally “on top of things,” but the situation had Foreign Affairs Institute did reference the To be sure, DFAIT’s recognition of the AIndia, Pakistan and Iran are having unravelled long before. effects that Pakistan was having on stability problem and its answer in the form of the on Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, a topic Several years ago, a series of very clear in Afghanistan, but these views also had no Dubai process may well bear fruit. One must that until recently was rarely discussed by warnings, including one from the Canadian immediate impact on policy. ask, however, where the broader regional Canadian policymakers. Institute of International Affairs and another I believe the policy blindspot is actually diplomatic effort was from 2001-2008? Various contributors to the issue tackle in the Economist noted that Pakistan had a function of more fundamental problems. Where was the strategic assessment prior the regional dimensions from a variety of per- quickly become the world’s “most danger- The first is that military operations were to the Manley report? Where was the guid- spectives. Several authors argue that so far, ous country.” Similarly detailed reports, neither equipped nor mandated for a region- ing hand? The overarching strategic analy- Pakistan has shown resilience, but economic commissioned by the Canadian government, al approach to stablizing Afghanistan and sis? The preventive foresight? collapse and civil war are real possibilities. tracking the historical risks Pakistan posed were, as a result, slow to adapt to changing This takes me to my third and most con- Others show that India’s foreign policy goals to itself and its neighbors, were also made regional dynamics. troversial point. If one reviews how much and objectives remain largely misunderstood available to policy makers. Our original mission’s goals were and where Canada commits to supporting in the West, while one author demonstrates There is, unfortunately, no evidence that focused on a “small footprint” support Pakistan’s stability (democracy promotion, that Iran’s presence in the region is for the any of this information informed the Manley operation to the government in Kabul. In education and human rights) it becomes quick- most part ignored by virtue of our unwilling- Report released in 2008. In fact the Manley terms of a mission statement, there is no ly apparent that our leverage with the coun- ness to properly engage the country. Report devoted just a few short sentences to evidence to indicate that our original strat- try’s leaders and its peoples is quite minimal. For Canada and its allies understanding Pakistan. Conversely, USAID, the FCO, the State egy was analytically or otherwise equipped Even if one were to raise the idea that Pakistan the regional dimensions are essential to Department, Rand and DfID were long aware of to incorporate or adapt to changing regional was a dangerous influence, there is likely little bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan. Pakistan’s destabilizing influence. A conference influences. Nor were our policymakers pre- that Canada could (on its own) do to influence In particular, Pakistan’s influence on organized in 2003 in Berlin by the Marshall pared to explain to Canadians how and why it. What we have here through inaction is a Afghanistan has been all but ignored. In all Foundation and the Carnegie Endowment a key ally in the Global War on Terror could tacit understanding of how overwhelming the aspects of policy making, from strategic brought together experts from these organiza- in fact be working against our interests. prospects of fixing a complex failed state is. analysis to public debate and intergovern- tions to examine the impact Pakistan was hav- Second, the key Canadian party respon- But that indeed is the task we now face. mental co-operation, Canada appears to have ing on the region. Canadian representatives, sible for assessing the regional aspects of the David Carment is editor of the Canadian had no significant internal evaluation of and apart from one academic, were notably absent. conflict and working through policy options Foreign Policy Journal and a CDFAI fellow. policy on the region until it introduced a So how does one explain the blindspot would be the Department of Foreign Affairs Readers can access various risk analyses on rather undersized and somewhat superficial in Canadian policy? There are several pos- and as one of the three legs in the 3D approach Pakistan, Afghanistan and the region at www. Canada Border Services Agency-led border sibilities. One is that Canada’s representa- to “rebuilding states,” DFAIT played its hand carleton.ca/cifp. training program in 2008 and initiated and tives “on the ground” knew all along that only in the later stages of the game. We should [email protected] EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—8 Opinion & Letters

Fourth, on another level, Canada, as recipient of inward state investments, may benefit from fully participating in interna- Chinese state-owned companies, tional collaborative initiatives that look to develop voluntary standards of best prac- tice for state-owned investment funds. The International Forum of Sovereign meet Canada’s investment laws Wealth Funds (IFSWF) is a voluntary group of 24 sovereign wealth funds. Taking a clear enterprises, as opposed to provincially- Canadian counterparts. They can also temper stance on minimum standards of best prac- PASCALE MASSOT owned or privately-owned enterprises, rose the uncertainty of those that meet them, and tice for SOEs can place Canada in a leading from 73.5 per cent in 2003 to 83.2 per cent in provide clear incentives for better governance position worldwide on this issue. It could 2005. Thus, being prepared to deal with these for those that do not. The current government also lead to the strengthening of norms of he federal government’s recent block- potentially large investments is essential. made a step forward in 2007 by introducing best practice internationally. ing of BHP Billiton’s bid for Potash As it stands, while the Investment Canada such SOE-specific guidelines in the Investment Beijing will host the next annual meeting of Corp. has highlighted the need to Act contains criteria for the minister to con- Canada Act, but opportunities remain for them the IFSWF, in April 2011. Would Canada envis- improve the Canadian foreign invest- sider when making the “net benefit” deter- to be further specified and developed. age also hosting the forum in the near future? T mination, these criteria are broad and afford ment review process. The $38.6-billion hostile Second, there is a broad consensus on China is emerging as a partner that we takeover attempt was only the second time an the minister substantial discretion in his the need to improve communication of will only see more of in the coming decades. investment was blocked in the history of the decision-making, argues a report submitted how decisions are taken under the act with It is crucial to maintain open channels of Investment Canada Act. by the Competition Review Panel in 2008. the Canadian public. This was central to a dialogue and make sure Canada’s policy Many analysts in Canada and abroad saw The fact that the review process, as motion to improve foreign takeover reviews remains transparent, predictable and clearly it as a politically-driven choice taken by a well as deliberations and agreements made introduced by the NDP on Nov. 4 and passed communicated to our Chinese counterparts, minority government, and if a publicly-listed between foreign companies and the fed- unanimously by Parliament a few days later. and to the Canadian public. Australian company could create such contro- eral government, are conducted behind In 2008, the Competition Review Panel Indeed, how we choose to respond versy, what can we expect of large investments closed doors creates uneasiness among the recommended “that ministers should pub- to the challenges and opportunities pre- by Chinese state-owned enterprises, or SOEs? Canadian public and potential investors. lish annually a report on the operation of sented by increased Chinese investment Since the summer of 2009, five Chinese Improvements are particularly warranted the ICA. The annual report should provide will remain one of Canada’s most important state investments in Canada’s energy and min- in the following areas: recognizing the distinc- information on the development of any new policy issues in years to come. ing sectors have totalled more than $10 bil- tiveness of state-owned enterprises; improving policies or guidelines as well as an overview It is important for the Investment Canada lion. Confirming a sustained interest in invest- the quality of communication of decisions and of all transactions subject to the ICA and Act to remain up-to-date in the face of the ing here, the China Investment Corporation, special undertakings approved by Industry undertakings provided by foreign investors rapid evolution of state-owned investments which controls one of the Middle Kingdom’s Canada; enhancing the government’s credibil- in relation to the disallowance test under globally. It is also particularly important to multi-billion-dollar sovereign wealth funds, ity in post-investment monitoring; and partici- the legislation.” This has yet to be done. get this right, in light of the growing impor- unveiled plans to open its first overseas pating in international collaborative initiatives. Third, the need for greater transparency tance for Canada of Chinese investment. corporate office in Toronto on Jan. 12. As First, the difference between state-owned also concerns the post-investment monitor- Pascale Massot is a doctoral student at Canada continues to attract large investments and privately-owned investment companies ing of special regulatory undertakings. The the University of British Columbia. This from China, the need to better prepare for is relevant to the formulation of Canadian minister of industry has the power to negoti- op-ed is based on the latest Canada-Asia potentially controversial acquisitions by state- inward-investment policies. State-owned ate such special conditions before approving Agenda Chinese State Investments in Canada: owned and other enterprises is rising. enterprise-specific guidelines will create a plat- an investment, but the government’s credibil- Lessons from the Potash Saga, published by Indeed, the share of foreign direct invest- form for dialogue and a basis of understanding ity in subsequently enforcing them has suf- the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. ment flows coming from Chinese state-owned between potential state investors and their fered in recent years (see the US Steel case). [email protected] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Canada not to blame for CETA delays have a services chapter anyway, not having We all remember the late George Hees, a Furthermore, if NGOs like CCIC and KAIROS E: “Canada-EU talks facing delays,” Jan. an investment chapter would be very prob- Conservative Party trade minister, and his start pointing out uncomfortable facts about R19) I was puzzled to see you present the lematic because most services can also be alleged, and perhaps apocryphal, on-the-job government policy then Canadians might begin view of one the strongest critics of investor- seen as investments from a legal standpoint. advice to his trade commissioners: “Don’t to think about changing governments, and as state dispute settlement with no response The more cynical observer might suggest, just sit there, sell something.” It remains as the prime minister has told us, holding pesky from the private sector. by the way, that the reason the Canadians are vital today as it was when Hees first chal- things like elections will cause the sky to fall It is incorrect to suggest that these provi- so keen on negotiating a free trade agreement lenged his commissioners. and spell disaster for our nation. sions “allow corporations to seek compensa- with the EU that has investor-state provisions The Canadian formula, incorporating Finally, if the press and the public were tion from states if government policies hurt is that Canadian negotiators are keen to have Canadian expertise and Canadian trust, is a to find out what the government does with their business interests.” If only it were that an excuse to terminate existing treaties with good one. Africa wants and needs Canada our money, they might discover mistakes, or easy. One must demonstrate to a skeptical, EU members such as the Czech Republic. and we don’t need Bono to tell us that. worse, unethical behaviour or abuses of power. professional tribunal (of whom one mem- These treaties were negotiated before I am encouraged by the work of Personally, I don’t want to know because frankly ber is a government appointee and another NAFTA and contain obligations that are the Canadian Council on Africa and, in there are too many other things to worry about appointed on consent of both parties) that arguably more investor-friendly than the Nigeria, the very active staff at Canada’s like whether the Leafs will make the playoffs. the government has breached an interna- provisions Canada uses today (because High Commission. Nigeria and West Africa In all seriousness, most readers will rec- tional obligation to act fairly. A review of the these provisions were watered down after have much to offer Canada. The same goes ognize that the above is meant to be sardon- literature on these obligations demonstrates Canada found itself—deservedly—on the for much of Africa, where the uniquely ic and ironical. Sadly, the one person I expect that they are by no means easy to prove. losing end of a few NAFTA claims). Canadian “formula” is urgently needed. this will be lost on is the prime minister. I also note the statement attributed to Gus If the cynic’s view is correct, Mr. Van Africa presents tremendous possibilities John McKay Van Harten about the results of 15 completed Harten and the folks at the Council of for Canada and, as Schram rightly suggests, Liberal MP for Scarborough-Guildwood cases involving a Canadian investor. First, Canadians should be cheering Canada’s nego- if Africa is good for Chinese business, “how elementary quantitative analysis suggests tiators on rather than scratching their heads. can it not be good for Canada?” that this number means nothing. The sample Todd Weiler Alexander Printzios Israel does not occupy Gaza is too small. More to the point, the whole London, Ont. Managing Director our front-page caption (RE: “A fine line purpose of these provisions is to prevent Canadian Global Sea Carriers Inc. Ybetween Palestinian remembrance, radi- disputes from occurring, not to facilitate their Mississauga, Ont. calization,” Jan. 19) said Israel is occupying the resolution in favour of one side or the other. Africa wants Canada West Bank and Gaza. For quite some time now, a The lull in negotiations has not been ohn Schram’s essay (RE: “Investing in Who needs access to popular myth has been promulgated by Israel’s caused by the Government of Canada’s insis- JAfrica: Pain or promise?” Jan. 12) deserves enemies and has unfortunately been accepted tence on inclusion of an investment chapter, to be read by Canadian companies doing information? Really now! as fact by the Canadian media. The myth is that to the chagrin of reluctant Europeans. international business as well as our politi- read with interest your editorial (RE: of Israel as the “occupiers” of the Gaza Strip. The problem is that the Lisbon Treaty cians, bureaucrats and business schools. I“Clamping Down After KAIROS,” Jan. 19) Contrary to this caption, occupation contained language on the power to regulate Given the 2011 African Union meeting in on the Canadian Council for International implies being able to impose your will on international investment upon which certain Ethiopia this week, Schram’s article is especially Co-operation and the government’s new policy the occupied and as Israel removed over important EU members disagree. Whereas relevant. Together with Canadian business, our on Access to Information requests after the 8,500 settlers from Gaza in the summer of Brussels Eurocrats eagerly embraced the politicians and trade diplomats should make it minister of international co-operation was 2005 and doesn’t have any soldiers on the theory that they now have exclusive authority clear that Canada must do business in Africa. accused by myself and my colleagues of mis- ground, this claim doesn’t have any merit. to negotiate investment treaties (and to force I recall the brilliant knowledge-based leading the House of Commons and Canadians. Although Israel does carry out military the amendment or abrogation of existing and active contributions of the Trade I must say, however, that I have changed my incursions to thwart and disrupt terror cells, ones), diplomats in places such as Germany Commissioner Service at the start of the mind on this matter and now side with the gov- this does not qualify as “occupation,” nor does and the UK have indicated they do not share 1990s. Canadian diplomats to Tanzania, ernment for the following reasons. any other claims that because Israel controls this point of view. It was one of those changes like Paddy Marsden-Dole and Terry Jones, Canadians don’t need to know what their the sea/air access to Gaza that it’s an “occupier.” that nobody noticed at the time, and by the definitively set the stage for Canadian enter- government is up to. After all, it’s really Currently, the only non-Palestinian force time they did, nobody wanted to risk a sec- prises like Sutton Resources, Placer Dome none of our business. Democracy is nice in in Gaza is the UN and we don’t presume ond failed ratification of an EU treaty. and later, Barrick, to prosper in Tanzania. It theory, but if the government is not given that the media would claim that the UN is It’s certainly fair to say that the Canadians is in our government’s interest to encourage free rein to do what it wants without ques- “occupying” the Gaza Strip. could probably push things forward if they the trade commissioner service’s on-the- tion, how can it impose the policies that a Mike Fegelman gave up on the chapter, but if they’re going to ground expertise and direction. majority of Canadians disagree with? Honestreporting Canada EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—9 Asia Re-classifying the world’s top relationship

China is still interested in hydrogen fuel cells— DAVID CRANE lithium-ion batteries in cars are a temporary alternative to oil—but Canada has lost much of its earlier advantage due to insufficient gov- f there is one conclusion from the ernment interest. If we are to work with China summit between US President Barack and other BRICs on shared interests, we must Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao invest in long-term commitments. Iin Washington last week, it is that the China, like many parts of the world, has relationship between the United States and many needs, in agriculture and food, clean China is the single most important bilateral water and sanitation, urban transportation, relationship in the world today and for the smart electric grids, energy-efficient com- foreseeable future. mercial and residential buildings, aviation, We won’t end up with a G-2 because the retirement finance, education and mining engagement of other countries in solving expertise, to name some. Canada’s attention world problems will still be necessary. But in China and elsewhere will depend on our this does spell the end of our old idea that ability to significantly advance our capaci- no bilateral relationship matters more to ties and technologies in such fields, because the United States than that with Canada. they are in our interest as well. To be sure, the United States will continue That will depend, in part, on strong par- to pay attention to Canada because of so many ticipation by the private sector. Companies shared interests. And it is in Canada’s interest like Manulife Financial, Bombardier, Magna to nurture the relationship as best it can. International, CAE, Bank of Montreal and But it would be naïve to believe that Research in Motion, by their investments Canada today has special influence in in China, are helping that country develop Washington, that we are insiders. We are while also strengthening their Canadian base. being displaced by the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, Likewise, if Canada is open to investment India, China) because they are the future. from Chinese companies, such as Huawei Indeed, like the US, we too must pay Technologies or imports from various much greater attention to the BRICs. China Chinese auto parts suppliers, then there will is a good place to start. But how does be further advancement of shared interests. Canada sustain a productive relationship Likewise, Canada and China have a shared with China? Pandering is not the answer. interest in global governance to achieve a Some argue that we can use our oil sands safe, prosperous, equitable and environmen- as a “trump card” to get Chinese attention. tally sustainable world. China knows that This is a pipe dream and a reminder of similar Canada championed the idea of a G-20 (it was misguided thinking in the 1970s when, at the at the G-20 summit in Toronto last year that time of the Arab oil embargo, Canadians con- President Barack Obama invited Hu to make jured up visions of oil and natural gas pipe- a state visit in early 2011). So if Canadians lines snaking from the Canadian Far North PMO photo: Jason Ransom work to develop good ideas for global gover- deep into the US, and one federal Cabinet Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Prime Minister Stephen Harper during the G-20 Summit. nance, including new knowledge in science minister talked of importing tens of thousands China has become a more important partner for the United States than Canada, says David Crane. and other areas, and put up resources to of Korean construction workers to build oil- back them up, we will have influence. sands plants here on a crash basis. Central Asia and Africa, as well as the Middle be immense. Better to work with China on This raises the question of why we want Now the Chinese, it is argued, are desper- East. Moreover, it is far from certain that the the WTO’s Doha round. influence. Partly it is to advance our own ate to ensure future oil supplies, hence their pipeline will ever be built. The principal way to develop closer ties commercial and security interests. But more investments in Canada’s oil sands. This oil, John Weekes, our former ambassador with China depends much more on working importantly, we have a big stake in the kind some argue, could be exported to China to the World Trade Organization, and Eddie with China across a wide range of challenges of world order that evolves this century, through a proposed Northern Gateway oil Goldenberg, former chief of staff to prime where we have shared interests. Technology and the best way to shape the future world pipeline to Kitimat, a BC port. minister Jean Chrétien, have argued that is one, and it is noteworthy that when Chinese order is by influencing the other players. But even if this pipeline were built, the flow Canada should negotiate a free trade agree- President Hu Jintao visited Vancouver in 2005, David Crane can be reached at crane@ would be marginal to China’s needs. China’s ment with China within five years. This is the only commercial site he went to see was interlog.com. key energy relationships will be with Russia, pie in the sky. The negotiating issues would Ballard Power’s hydrogen fuel cell operations. [email protected] G-2: The forum China prefers and America needs The only problem: China wasn’t and isn’t In fact, then-Chinese ambassador to rates, they are not in a position to take on the NEIL DESAI willing to take on this burden. Canada Lan Lijun published an editorial in global economy by themselves going forward. Among the much-reported fanfare of Hu’s the Globe and Mail titled “China doesn’t yet China’s growth model is underpinned with the recent visit was a larger than life advertisement measure up as a strong economic power.” need for a strong, external consumer. While his past week, Chinese President on loop in New York’s Times Square depicting While he admitted that China’s GDP reached Chinese demand has grown at an impressive Hu Jintao made his first state visit images of what the Chinese State Council Press US$4.3-trillion in 2009, the country was not rate over the past few years, it is nowhere to the United States in over four Office called a “prosperous, developing, demo- going to take a proportionate role leading near where it would need to be to account for Tyears. His previous visit to the cratic, progressive” China. This image of China the global economy. the growth the Communist Party aspires to. White House was an audition to see if the is eerily similar to the China the previous US The China that ambassador Lan and But the United States is at a dead end Middle Kingdom, as an emerging power, was administration was hoping would interview for his colleagues want the world to envision and the Chinese know it. It either must fit to be a new dance partner for the US to the role of a responsible, balancing power for is that of Sichuan province in 2008. It was drastically cut its public and private con- lead the world’s economy and beyond. the global economy. then that the western region of China was sumption and tackle its bloated debt and While China was clearly on the rise, The China depicted in Times Square is rocked by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that deficit, or hope that maintaining this status there were enough distractions to make not the China that the Communist Party and left almost 70,000 people dead and nearly 5 quo doesn’t pull the plug on their life sup- Americans believe they were still in a posi- President Hu want the masses around the world million homeless. The poor response to the port. Lucky for them, the Chinese are per- tion to lead this tango, especially since, at to buy into, though. They are not looking to earthquake called into the question China’s fectly content with prolonging American’s the time, there was no reason to believe take on more dependents in Africa or Haiti. And ability to take on a greater global leadership confrontation with this harsh reality—in differently. There were challenges with the they most definitely do not want to stunt their role. Countries with GDPs a fraction of the exchange for their own prosperity. American economy in 2006, but it was a far own growth for the betterment of the world size of China’s, including Canada, lined up Four years later, this dance partnership cry from the unemployment, debt (public economy, just the economies that matter: Their to donate millions of dollars towards earth- has seen a drastic change. China is now and private) and overall structural crisis the own and their chief consumer, the US. quake reconstruction. leading it and America is holding on for United States faces today. On the eve of the Seoul G-20 summit So why did President Hu pick out his nic- dear life. Mr. Hu’s visit to the US was noth- In preparation for tougher times, many in last year, China became the world’s second est dancing shoes for the US this time around? ing more than a reassurance to Americans the US administration of the day were pre- largest economy. At the same time it was The dynamics are much different: President that the Chinese will not be calling in any pared to overlook China’s other shortcomings facing increased pressure from all corners of Hu was coming to make sure China’s ailing markers, as long as America keeps dancing. on democracy, human rights and intellectual the globe to appreciate their currency. The partner in this economic G-2 survives. With Neil Desai is director of programs and property rights as they believed they could Chinese immediately mounted a campaign to the US economy on life support, the Chinese communications at the Munk School of transform China into a globally-engaged and downplay any expectations that its economic are holding their collective breathe. Global Affairs and a former adviser to Prime responsible leader, which would ease the size and strength should create an expecta- While China has weathered the global eco- Minister Stephen Harper. pressures on itself to lead the global economy. tion that it ought to be an economic leader. nomic storm, posting above expected growth [email protected] EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—10 EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—11 Back To Parliament Back To Parliament

security co-operation between the two countries. On Jan. 4, former television anchor and minis- winning. But this issue will continue to make some type of political advantage in ramping This was the scenario US-Canada watchers had ter of state for the Americas Peter Kent took over headlines into the next election. up engagement—which is only probable on long been calling for, arguing that if Canada and as Canada’s new environment minister. There Haiti—it will focus on other issues. the US worked together to identify and capture are some who hope he will be more receptive Human Smuggling threats before they reached the continent, secu- to international positions and able to position In June, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney The Arctic This session’s burning th rity at the 49 parallel could be lessened to allow Canada as a positive contributor at negotiations reached agreement with the NDP and Bloc for the freer movement of goods and services. and other forums. Others, however, believe he Québécois on reforming Canada’s refugee sys- Key to this, however, is creating a real belief has been brought in solely to use his charm for tem. The minister had been forced to com- south of the border that Canada is able to do the benefit of the oil sands, as evidenced by his promise on several provisions, but in the end, its part to catch bad guys before they get here. adoption of the “ethical oil” argument. called it a “win-win” deal. As a result, this agreement is as much about At the departmental level, Canadian offi- Then the MV Sun Sea, carrying nearly 500 foreign affairs issues perception as real action: most of the provisions cials are starting to take climate change into Tamils from Sri Lanka, arrived on the shores of Breathe outlined in the agreement, like joint air and sea account in their long-term planning and fore- British Columbia and the government unveiled Continued from Page 1 An example: The Foreign Affairs depart- increase government revenues. surveillance, are already in place. The deal’s real casts. Infrastructure concerns in the Arctic and Bill C-49, which it says is aimed at eradicating Others, however, will not wait for Canada’s poli- ment says it is committed to increasing its However, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has strength is raising the profile of these efforts. along the coasts will need to be addressed, as human smuggling by increasing minimum fines better. ticians to sort themselves out, and will need to foreign presence by 4,000 personnel over the said that with the country in deficit, now is not Yet since the document became public, the will new health issues. Global insecurity, food and jail terms for smugglers. be addressed no matter what. next few years. It’s expected most of these will the time to make such cuts, which he is calling anticipated signing ceremony has been post- shortages and other external factors are being However, the bill would also create a new be locally-engaged staff. How will it balance “giveaways.” The party launched an advertis- poned, with no indication when it will be held. considered by Foreign Affairs and the military. “irregular arrival” category for those who The Budget not filling Canadian positions with hiring for- ing campaign on the topic last week. The NDP It’s also unclear whether the deal will really In addition, provinces are becoming more arrive in Canada with the help of smugglers. As the economic recession crisis hit, eigners to staff missions abroad? and Bloc will no doubt follow suit. The govern- change the mindset in Washington, where secu- robust in their plans and attitudes on climate Those in the category would spend up to a Canada suddenly found its export revenues Speaking of missions, closures are expect- ment’s case took another hit on Jan. 21 when rity concerns are paramount. In a sense, this change, particularly from an economic per- year in detention while officials process their One of those is the Arctic. After all, when tem- were drying up because of decreased US ed anytime now, and new trade offices are Canada’s parliamentary budget officer, Kevin deal would be a good first step to changing the spective. Ontario and British Columbia have claims, and those accepted would remain peratures start to rise, the rhetoric starts to flow demand and plummeting energy prices. Like unlikely this time around. The department has Page, released a report in which he quashed Mr. message about the Canada-US border, which implemented strategies to build renewable under temporary protection in Canada for five anew. The Harper government has committed to Live many other countries, Canada immediately been implementing a type of hub-and-spoke Flaherty’s vision of a balanced budget by 2015/16 has been perceived for far too long as porous. energy sectors, while other provinces have years, with the possibility of being returned to resolving some of the disputes Canada has with went on a spending spree, handing out billions model, but it’s still too early to say whether it and projected, in fact, an $11-billion deficit. But it’s difficult to envision any American offi- adopted their own plans and regulations. The their home countries at the end of that period other nations in the North, but so far, has report- for roads, arenas and other infrastructure has been successful or not. All this to say that the government, hav- cial, elected or not, willingly reducing security federal government is being left to contend if conditions there permit. ed little progress. In particular, there has been no better. projects, eventually accumulating Canada’s None of this really makes for election fod- ing provided what it hopes are the ideal overnight. In any event, the border will con- with these different visions—as evidenced by Given that a large number of asylum seek- evidence of movement on getting the US or other largest-ever deficit at $56-billion for 2009/10. der, and even if a new government comes to conditions for increased economic activity, is tinue to be a major focus for the government, the number of sub-national officials present at ers arrive in Canada with the help of human countries to recognize the Northwest Passage In the 2010 budget, Finance Minister Jim power, the only obvious change would be a counting on a significant up-tick in the coming no matter which party is in power. recent climate change discussions. smugglers, this bill has stirred up a great deal as internal Canadian waters. Despite this, work Flaherty outlined a plan to balance the budget major shrinking of the defence budget. The year—a bet that is based on external factors There are several other items of interest As for an election, it’s easy for the opposition to of concern and angst among refugee advocates, towards completing Canada’s continental shelf Green Eye Home Cleaning offers: by 2014-15, largely by cutting federal govern- rest would likely continue as planned, with the coming together, and which naysayers believe in the Canada-US relationship. Reports indi- jump up and down and decry the Harper govern- settlement groups and opposition parties. They mapping exercise is quietly continuing, in con- ment spending. The crunch is expected to hit new government rightly or wrongly blaming (and opposition parties secretly hope) is wish- cate Canadian diplomats at the embassy in ment over its climate change policies. The Tories argue the government is using the Sun Sea’s junction with the US and Danish. n Carpet & upholstery cleaning as soon as the 2011 budget is revealed. the Conservatives for putting them in a posi- ful thinking. Only time will tell. Washington spend more time on energy and haven’t helped their own cause. But no party highly publicized arrival to ram through major What won’t be quiet will be Russian claims The minister has said this year’s budget will tion of having to make tough choices. climate change than any other issue, and that has laid out a credible plan for tackling the issue, changes they had wanted in the original reform in the North. Vladimir Putin and Dmitry n Regular home cleaning not entail any surprises: the major cost-cutting Foreign Investment, Ownership likely won’t change. The oil sands are at the aside from blasting the oil sands, which make up a package but been forced to compromise on. Medvedev are both in the midst of an unof- steps were announced last year. So then, how External Factors In November, after a massive lobbying heart of this, on one side arguing that they are small percentage of Canada’s total greenhouse gas The government says those allegations are ficial campaign to see who will run in the 2012 • Daily, Weekly, or Bi-Weekly will this belt-tightening play out? In explaining his plan effort and public outcry led by Saskatchewan essential to US energy security, while the other emissions. The Liberals in particular, are sensitive groundless and, amid warnings more boats full of Russian presidential election. (They appar- It was already announced last year that to tackle the deficit in Premier Brad Wall, the Harper government points out the environmental damage caused to the issue after their last leader, Stephane Dion, asylum seekers are on their way, has been cam- ently have an agreement that they will not n One-time cleanings the $5-billion aid budget isn’t going to see any Budget 2010, Finance rejected Australian mining giant BHP Billiton’s by them. tried to present a vision only to have it shot down paigning across the country saying the legislation run against each other, with the more popular increases over the next few years, despite only Minister Jim Flaherty attempt to takeover fertilizer producer Potash Recently, the government had adopted during the October 2008 election. That election is needed to ensure genuine refugees are protected of the two getting the nod.) As a result, they n Deep/spring cleanings four years left to the Millennium Development laid out a vision of cre- Corp. It was only the second time the federal conservative pundit Ezra Levant’s new mes- yielded the Liberals their worst-ever showing, from being trafficked and “don’t jump the queue.” have been appealing to Russian nationalism n Goals. The absence of widespread anger or pro- ating a low-tax juris- government has ever refused such a deal, the sage that oil obtained from the oil sands is something few have forgotten. An election issue? Perhaps, though only with various antics and claims. The Arctic has Office cleaning test from the Canadian public has largely given diction that would first coming in April 2008 when an American “ethical,” unlike what is obtained from Saudi peripherally. However, it will make for major not been spared, and this year could see even n Move-in/move-out the government the go-ahead to implement this attract foreign invest- company tried to buy Canadian satellite com- Arabia, Venezuela and similar countries. By Joint Strike Fighters battles within Parliament nonetheless, and its more from either man. plan, and the opposition isn’t about to start ment. Combined with pany MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates. paying these countries for oil, the argument In the 1990s, successful outcome is anything but assured. Over the years, the Harper government campaigning on increasing foreign aid while the more than $1 billion in In a few years, some may look back at the goes, the US and others are propping up des- then-Liberal has made a point of publicly and vocifer- economy is still in trouble. In fact, don’t be sur- research and develop- Potash decision as a major turning point in potic regimes that routinely violate human leader Jean Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan ously countering Russian claims and actions prised if the aid budget is quietly cut, especially ment and skills training, Canada. That’s because there has been a pal- rights and contribute to global instability. Chrétien made The past year in the North. They say they are standing up if the deficit looks to be worse than expected the hope was that more pable change in the Canadian public’s mindset This message is tailor-made for officials a great deal of saw the Harper for Canada; critics say they are simply using and the government needs to come up with businesses would decide Canada is a great when it comes to foreign investment, or at in Washington, where the Republicans have political head- government and Russia as a straw man for political gain. some quick cash. place to invest, which would lead to more jobs least foreign takeovers. taken over the House of Representatives, and way by exco- Liberal opposi- Canada has stated that its aid focus will and government revenue. The Potash case can’t be taken in isolation. it will be interesting to see whether it has riating the tion agree on Other Issues be on maternal and child health, and with At the same time, as a trading nation, Vale and Xstrata have become close to swear resonance or not, especially as the Keystone Mulroney gov- the future make- Canada’s heated dispute with the United French President Nicolas Sarkozy saying he export growth is key to Canada’s recovery. words in some corners since those two giant XL pipeline continues being debated. ernment’s deci- up of Canada’s Arab Emirates over more direct flights for wants to deal with food shortages as chair of The government has been trying to diver- companies bought out large Canadian mining There are also ongoing concerns about Buy sion to replace involvement in Emirates and Etihad airlines continues to boil. this year’s G20, Canada will again pitch in with sify trade away from the United States, com- firms in 2006 and subsequently ran into conflicts America provisions in future budget bills. In a Canada’s aging Afghanistan post- While Canada’s national carrier, Air Canada, substantial, short-term contributions to food pleting free trade talks with Peru, Colombia, with unions and others for layoffs and plant clo- deal negotiated last January, Canada opened sub- fleet of Sea King 2011. While the isn’t particularly loved by Canadians, the aid. In addition, with the UN Security Council Panama, Jordan and the European Free Trade sures—all while continuing to ship raw resourc- national procurement up to American businesses helicopters military mission Harper government has dug in its heels and campaign over, the government will have a Association. More importantly, it has also es out of the country for future processing. in the hopes it could negotiate a permanent Buy with expensive in Kandahar will doesn’t appear ready to be swayed. freehand to really put as much of its aid money launched negotiations with the European These two takeovers have provided the America-exemption, but that hasn’t happened. Cormorant heli- continue until the It will be interesting to see whether the UAE, in the 20 focus countries as it wants. Union and India, though neither appear head- foundation for growing concerns that Canada’s In addition, the age-old softwood lumber dis- copters. Given that the Cold War was over, and end of the year, in slapping expensive visas on Canada, closing The defence budget, which has grown from ed to an early conclusion. economy is being hollowed out by takeovers pute—by far one of the relationship’s most divi- the country was facing large budget deficits, the the focus will shift Camp Mirage and working to scuttle Canada’s $15 billion in 2005/06 to $20 billion in 2009/10 But there are a number of factors working that have little to no benefit to the country. In sive issues—has resurfaced in recent weeks. All issue gained Mr. Chrétien significant traction in to training in the UN Security Council bid, has overstepped itself. will continue to grow by $525 million this year against Canada right now: the price of the coun- the meantime, a number of sovereign wealth indications are that a new round of bickering is the 1993 election campaign, and contributed to Kabul area and As well, Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae’s and $1 billion for several years thereafter. This try’s largest export, oil, hasn’t recovered; the funds, particularly from China, have started on the horizon, which could sap a lot of energy his winning a majority government. nationwide devel- trip to the country to meet with UAE govern- represents half the growth originally promised strength of the dollar means Canadians are buy- setting up shop here to start exploiting the and goodwill from other bilateral efforts. Michael Ignatieff’s Liberals have been taking opment efforts by ment and airline officials was either designed by the government, but National Defence will ing more foreign goods and exporting less; com- country’s natural resource reserves. a page from that winning formula by going after 2012. to help find a solution, or intended to draw be one of the few departments to see its bud- petitors are securing free trade deals faster; and All of this has led to growing calls for a Climate Change the Harper government’s determination to pur- Exact details still have to be ironed out, attention to the way the Conservative govern- get continue to increase. perhaps most importantly, even as Canada tries tightening up of foreign investment and take- Canada has continued following the US chase 65 F-35 stealth fighter jets for $16 billion but Canada’s involvement there is officially on ment has handled the issue. Interestingly, the Still, that doesn’t mean the military is in the to lower trade barriers around the world to boost over rules—which is a direct contradiction of lead, saying to do more would only hurt the at a time when the country is facing huge defi- the decline, starting with the decision earlier NDP has sided with the government here. Not clear. Canadian defence spending accounted its exports, it is lagging in competitiveness. not only the Harper government’s plan, but its economy for little gain, while aware that doing cits and the end of the Afghan mission is threat- this month to quietly close down the Cabinet an election issue, but definitely one to watch. for 1.5 per cent of GDP in 2009, the highest On Jan. 19, the Bank of Canada released a ideology as well. less would make it even more of a pariah on ening to lower the military’s public profile. They committee on Afghanistan. There will still be Meanwhile, shortly after France took over level since 1995. With the Afghanistan mission report that predicted 2.4 per cent growth this The NDP has traditionally been the most the international stage—and likely lead to say they will freeze the contract should they be interest in the mission, and some type of inter- as chair of the G20 on Jan. 24, President Nicolas winding down, the government will likely be year and 2.8 per cent in 2012. In contrast, the vocal about protecting the Canadian economy trade sanctions. elected and subject it to a thorough review. departmental work will continue, but things will Sarkozy said he will focus on curbing commod- under increasing pressure to pull back. The US was looking at 3.3 per cent and 3.2 per cent, from foreign takeovers, but Potash saw the In January 2010, the Harper government offi- On the other hand, the government has become increasingly turned over to the official ity speculation and currency volatility. While Harper government will resist, but if the politi- respectively. The bank blamed a growing gap Liberals come on board as well. While it may cially harmonized its commitments with those been trotting out Canadian military officials level, as is the case in Haiti and Sudan. Canada will no doubt support such a move, the cal calculus turns against continuing increas- in productivity between Canadian companies have been only for political gain, if the Liberals of the US by pledging to reduce greenhouse gas and visiting aerospace manufacturing compa- Will either of those two replace Afghanistan French leader also said he plans to raise the es, it won’t hesitate to turn off the tap. and their foreign rivals. feel they have tapped into a well-spring of emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by nies to highlight both the F-35’s importance to in terms of scope and commitment? financial transaction tax once again. For those At the same time, much of the Defence Combining free trade agreements with poor Canadian public concern, they could try to 2020. It has also indicated it will implement new Canadian sovereignty, particularly in the Arctic, True, Haiti has become more of a priority in who remember, the Conservative government, department’s budgetary increase revolves productivity could have long-term negative impli- ride it to the next election. The next year will regulations on coal-fired power plants in 2015, and $5.6-billion in contracts they say they’ve the aftermath of last year’s devastating earth- as chair of last summer’s G20 summit, cam- around capital expenditures, including purchas- cations for Canada. To combat this, the Harper be very telling when it comes to foreign invest- and made changes to emissions standards for secured to provide components for the planes. quake. And Sudan is poised for more interna- paigned hard against the FTT, spending a great ing new armoured vehicles, naval ships and heli- government last year unilaterally slashed tariffs ment and ownership in Canada. passenger vehicles and light trucks that are in The fact the planned purchase has been sole- tional attention as Southern Sudan is expected deal of political capital to oppose it. The fact copters. So far, most of these projects are in vari- on machinery and equipment for manufacturers line with those of the US. sourced, ongoing concerns about the massive— to start moving toward secession from the that it is back on the table will not sit well here ous holding patterns, and could easily become in Canada (though the impact has been difficult Canada-US Relations Yet critics note that emissions have con- and apparently fluctuating—price tag, questions north, creating instability and other problems. and could reopen a rift between Canada and early casualties if things don’t go as planned. to measure). It also adopted a plan to cut the Late last year it tinued to rise under the Harper government’s about how many contracts have actually been But there’s a sense the government is pro-FTT countries like France and Germany. As for the departments of Foreign Affairs, corporate tax rate from 18 per cent in 2010 to 15 was revealed that watch, and that the few changes it has imple- locked down, and repeated indications that the loathe to become involved in a new nation- Finally, as more Canadians get caught up in Citizenship and Immigration and others, their per cent by 2012. This month, it made the first Prime Minister mented are token at best. On the international deal is about US appeasement have kept the issue building exercise, particularly as it prepares to the widening drug war in Mexico, the govern- budgets will be frozen at 2010/11 levels. On scheduled reduction to 16.5 per cent. Stephen Harper level, it has continued to be criticized for its simmering. But there’s no denying that Canada’s slash the budget. Canada will continue to advo- ment will be forced to react with warnings and Office (613) 435-0589 the surface, the government says it will leave The government, supported by the private and US President inflexible positions, including insisting that fleet of CF-18 Hornets will need to be replaced cate for other countries in the hemisphere to advisories, and face pressure from that govern- thousands of vacant federal government posi- sector, maintains that reducing the tax rate Barack Obama all major emitters be part of any post-Kyoto before the end of the decade, and that Russia and remain engaged in Haiti, while officials within ment and the US to contribute. Meanwhile, it will Emergencies (613) 263-2069 tions unfilled. While that may sound largely will increase investment, including investment were scheduled to agreement. However, that position, while at China are moving ahead with their own stealth the military, Foreign Affairs and perhaps CIDA continue facilitating trade links with China and painless on paper, implementation is another in new equipment and other productivity sign a new agree- odds with the rest of the world, has recently aircraft, which will become the new standard. will advocate for increased involvement there India through ministerial visits and, in the case greeneyehomecleaning.com matter, and services will likely suffer. upgrades, and create jobs, all of which will ment on perimeter netted it allies in Russia and Japan. So far, it’s difficult to tell which side is and in Sudan. But unless the government sees of the latter, hyping the pending free trade talks. EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—12 Back To Parliament Foreign policy priorities at times a moving target

Continued from Page 1 While critics have disagreed with the government’s tactics or competence on these files and many others, it is clear that Washington, Kabul and the almighty dollar have consistently occupied Ottawa’s mind. The consensus is also that these factors, albeit in somewhat of a diminished role, will continue to play a role in 2011. There have been other bedrocks that have materialized out of a focus on these issues. In keeping with US policy, it is argued, the government now sports a steadfast, unshak- able support for Israel, condemns its enemy Iran, and employs a lock-‘em-up approach to dealing with legal issues abroad. It sticks to its guns even if the result is failure, such as when it did not achieve enough votes to sit on the UN Security Council, or when it was kicked off the Camp Mirage military base in the UAE. Yet in every other policy direction, things have been less clear. From South America and Haiti to China and India, from the Arctic and Africa to the environment and global governance, analysts disagree whether the government has exhibited a cleverly prag- matic plan of attack, approached issues on a case-by-case basis, or ignored establishing a coherent policy altogether. The disagreement is due to the fact that Prime Minister Stephen Harper himself seems to muddy the waters by sitting on all sides of several foreign policy debates. He was in favour of a military mission in Afghanistan, then on board with a pullout, and is now supporting keeping non-combat troops in the country. He condemned China for violating the human rights of its people, and now embraces the country without men- PMO Photo, DND Embassy Photo: Sam Garcia tioning prior disagreements. He talks about While critics have disagreed with the government’s tactics or competence on these files and many others, it is clear that Washington, Kabul and the almighty dollar keeping Canada open to investment while have consistently occupied Ottawa’s mind. The consensus is also that these factors, albeit in somewhat of a diminished role, will continue to play a role in 2011. blocking two large foreign takeovers. He talks about co-operating with Russia in the the Conservatives have decided the road no Lawrence Cannon is Mr. Harper’s fourth for- other countries. And the Security Council Arctic and on counter-terrorism even as his longer lies through Quebec, and is targeting eign affairs minister, owing largely to a series of election was a historic failure for Canada.” office demonizes Canada’s Arctic neighbour. Ontario and BC voters instead. As a result, political controversies and unexpected events. As well, conversation about Canadian for- establishing a visa to remedy the problem of When the Conservative government was elect- What 2011 will bring eign policy inevitably circles around what the large-scale refugee arrivals from Mexico and ed in 2006, it appointed Peter MacKay to the Analysts say this year, with the G8, G20, the government has not done, as much as what arguing with the UAE over landing rights both position, but after 18 months Mr. MacKay was Olympics and Security Council campaign out it has. While the Conservatives discuss their played to the need to project strong domestic shuffled to defence to take over for the flagging of the way, the Harper government will return plan for tackling climate change, environ- political sensibilities to voters in the targeted Gordon O’Connor. Into his spot went Maxime to the founding foreign policy principles it has mentalists say Canada is being obstruction- ridings in those provinces, he argues. Bernier—who was forced to resign in scandal always advocated: friendly relations with the ist at international conferences. While the Indeed, in the Conservative government’s after nine months. Replacing him was David United States, a commitment to the military and government establishes trade offices in China own recent assessment of its accomplish- Emerson, who retired from politics after barely an altering of the Canadian trade environment. and works through a free trade deal with ments in office since 2006, none of the items five months in his new job. After the 2008 elec- The government continues to pursue its India, Asian experts bemoan a lack of broader listed directly related to foreign policy: Its tion, Mr. Harper appointed Mr. Cannon, who big trade deals with the European Union and engagement in the region. While the govern- stimulus package; a series of tax cuts, write- has since bucked the trend of his caucus col- India, as well as others. It will continue ham- ment pumps money into maternal aid and offs and subsidies for families with children; leagues by staying in place after more than two mering away at deals with the United States global development funds, it closes offices in and the government’s law-and-order agenda. years and several Cabinet shuffles. on the border and in terms of protectionist Africa, where much of that money is going. And it is clear that when Harper talks about Yet there is a sense that Mr. Cannon Buy American provisions in US law. And it will So why does the government exhibit such a Arctic sovereignty, he is playing to a domestic hasn’t really embraced the role. He makes continue pushing its biggest export, energy, range of approaches to Canadian foreign policy? audience. A recent poll commissioned by a the mandatory meetings, appears in photos in the US through its massive network there. University of Toronto research centre found shaking hands and delivering speeches, and The three of those are already large diplomat- Domestic workers that a majority of Canadians think of Arctic puts his name on press releases, but doesn’t ic undertakings—not counting the pending Kim Richard Nossal, the Sir Edward sovereignty as the most important foreign pol- appear to have come to the job with a vim battle over corporate tax cuts. Peacock professor of international relations at icy priority, topping all others. Perhaps even and vigour many have come to expect from Afghanistan is expected to “fade into the Queen’s University, believes Mr. Harper and the more telling was the finding that Canadians a foreign minister. Of course, this could be background” this year as the country chooses Conservatives really only have one overarch- don’t care to negotiate on Arctic issues—they because he isn’t really in charge of the file. the middle-ground approach and commits mili- ing priority—the establishment of a majority think of the Northwest Passage as internal “The prime minister has certainly grown tary trainers with orders not to fight, but most government—and all other priorities, including Canadian waters, and the Beaufort Sea as right- into the role,” says Mr. Cohen. “I don’t think expect the emphasis on the military to be kept foreign policies, are used as tools to achieve fully theirs, which means it should be shut off Lawrence Cannon is his chief diplomat, I up, with big-ticket procurement items still a con- domestic political goals. For the first two years from deal-making with the Americans. think he is.” troversial issue and National Defence seemingly in office, Mr. Nossal argues, this meant crafting If there’s one thing even opponents will say the only department spared budget cuts. policies that would appease Quebec. Taking the lead about Mr. Harper, it’s that he’s a brilliant polit- Many analysts say they expect 2011 to be “When I look at their foreign policy from Perhaps playing into this, others argue ical strategist. In 2010, with little choice but to an election year, which means foreign policy 2006 to 2008, it’s quite clear, from my per- that the Conservatives view the Department make foreign policy a centerpiece of his agen- will take a back seat. spective at least, that the government has of Foreign Affairs more like a service depart- da what with Canada hosting the Olympics, “Traditionally foreign policy has not a fairly clear idea about how it was going to ment, and have shifted more of the for- the G8 and fighting for a UN Security Council been an issue in election campaigns, and use foreign policy as part of its larger goal of eign policy decision-making into the Prime seat, the prime minister sought to make the won’t be in this one, probably because the reorienting Canadian politics,” he says. Minister’s Office, which has further politi- most of it. Yet by the end of the year, perhaps Liberals agree on the seminal foreign policy “I’m thinking of giving the Quebec govern- cized it. Andrew Cohen, a professor of inter- because of so many uncontrollable factors, issue, which is Afghanistan, and it remains ment status at UNESCO, I’m thinking of the national affairs at Carleton University, says the government emerged with bruises. Afghanistan,” says Mr. Cohen. steadfast refusal to even think about ballistic Mr. Harper “is his own foreign minister.” “They flubbed it,” writes Roland Paris, But Mr. Nossal says he expects the missile defence, I’m thinking about the enthu- “We have changed foreign ministers University of Ottawa international governance approach to foreign policy to change if the siasm that the feds had in pushing the EU like people change shirts,” says Mr. Cohen. professor, in an email. “The G8/G20 meetings Conservatives get their coveted majority. trade negotiations to help out Jean Charest.” “That’s very hard on a foreign minister, were gold-plated extravaganzas that achieved That would be the one thing, he argues, that Even after the 2008 election, this trend because it’s about knowing people...it’s very little of substance. The maternal and child would “galvanize” Mr. Harper into “treating of domestic politics has continued to reign hard to maintain a coherent foreign policy health initiative was mishandled at the outset foreign policy as something for itself.” supreme, Mr. Nossal argues, with one caveat: when you are always changing ministers.” and generated only modest support from [email protected]

EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—14 Q&A

“Certainly we’ll be engaging with coun- are some folks in the EPA, or in the environ- terparts in the United States as soon as pos- mental community in the United States—for sible. Domestically, I also want to talk to col- that matter in Canada as well—who need to leagues in the provincial and territorial envi- be more completely informed, that’s my job.” ronment ministries. And then we’ll proceed. “There’s quite a bit of work to be done Sure, but it does seem like you’re up on the regulatory framework in the next few against changing the entire culture of the months with regards to biodiesel, with regards EPA itself, as one of their principles these to coal-fired electricity generating plants, with days they say emissions are a global prob- regards to heavy trucks following in the wake lem, they transcend boundaries. of last year’s regulations for automobiles and “Well, they are, and we recognize that, and light trucks, which as you know are in line with emissions from the oil sands, for those who American emissions regulations. care to look closely, are down almost 40 per “So those are the priorities, certainly cent from production emissions in 1990. So engaging wherever possible, either with this is a constantly-improving…. And certainly ambassadors here in Ottawa representing the oversight from our provincial partners, by countries which have an interest in the envi- the industry itself, and by our scientists here ronmental file, whether it be climate change, in Environment Canada, are working to both or other areas, and following up on Cancun improve the regulation and oversight, but also which I think is widely accepted now. to ensure that the industry performs within “Certainly I was told by the Mexican responsible and sustainable limits.” ambassador and second-hand from the foreign minister of Mexico who chaired the Alright so you talked about engaging the Cancun meet, that it has been regarded Americans, what about the Europeans? As widely by countries large and small, emit- you know they have quite extensive envi- ters great and minor, as a revitalization of ronmental plans, the European Parliament the Copenhagen process.” has criticized the oil sands, and the EU government funds NGOs that have gone Speaking of the United States, I wanted on to trash them in reports. to ask you a couple questions about “Not all reports generated by, and again, the North American relationship. First, not all NGOs, are based on science. There’s NAFTA’s Commission on Environmental more than a little ideology out there in Co-operation. Environmentalists are saying some of the content that has been gener- its scope has been manipulated to white- ated by some NGOs, and perhaps that has wash an investigation into Canadian legis- influenced, again without an awful lot of lation. What’s your response to this? What follow-up research or broader research, by was Canada’s role in this? some governmental agencies, to confirm “I think the conversation—and I won’t what is true, what is factual, what is scien- answer those specific charges—I think the tific, and what might be ideological.” conversation, the dialogue, has to be con- ducted on the basis, as I said, of facts and So are you suggesting these reports aren’t The Hill Times Photo: Jake Wright The Hill Times of science. And I think as we continue that getting the story right? discussion, there will be new information “Certainly some of them aren’t. You to add to the mix, there will be prioritizing, know, I don’t have to tell you that some there will be an exchange of best practices. of the material, which has been generated “So I think it’s far too early for me to by—again, not all—but by some organiza- offer any pre-judgments on what’s been tions, has used outdated data, and has ‘Facts and science’ done, or what’s been said, or what perspec- manipulated fact to misrepresent the reality tives might be at play.” of the oil sands.”

But there’s a certain level of respect out Can you name them? there for the commission that is now in ques- “Not at this moment, no. But I’ll tell you, needed in green tion. How do you intend to restore that? going forward, I will challenge organizations— “Well, as I said, to go forward with I’m not going to go back in history, I’m looking straight talk, with honest talk, with facts ahead—and I would hope that all organiza- and science. If confidence has been shaken tions, governmental and non-governmental, somewhere in the dialogue, I’ll work to in the environmental area, would make sure, dialogues: Kent make sure that we get back to trust and to again, that we come back to facts and science. respect for facts and science.” Where I come across material that is clearly at odds with reality, I will name them.” ■ In an exclusive interview, the new lishing his career on his globetrotting experi- The other thing about the US relationship ence as a foreign correspondent. that we’ve been looking at is the Keystone One of the main criticisms of any environ- environment minister lays out his But as environment minister, his greatest pipeline extension. ment minister is that they don’t have a lot priorities, namely getting Canada’s challenges likely lie ahead of him, especially “Yes, great project.” of flexibility in promises and in policy. as several countries have not looked kindly How much flexibility would you say that real story out to the world. on Canada’s approach to environmental Ambassador Gary Doer wrote to the US you have? Carl Meyer protection. Environmental Protection Agency and cop- “In the short term, we have our 2020 On Jan. 24, Embassy had a chance to ask ied Hillary Clinton saying emissions from targets, and we believe that all emitters, all Mr. Kent about his new role. The following the oil sands should not be considered in polluters, must participate. nvironment Minister Peter Kent made is a transcript of that interview, edited for the review for TransCanada’s permit to “We’re working our way—we started in Eheadlines shortly after his appointment style and length: build the pipeline. But we always talk about the transportation sector, which is the largest on Jan. 4 for defending what he called the a continental environment, and having to single, by far, greenhouse gas emitter in the “ethical oil” of Alberta. Many people are wondering how you will move in step with the Americans, so how Canadian reality. We’re now turning to the coal- But while selling Conservative policies on put your own stamp on your new job. What can we suggest that our emissions shouldn’t fired electricity generating plants, and other the environment to Canadians will be part of do you plan on doing differently from for- be a factor in a continental environment? large emitters, and we’ll continue to work. his job, an important question is how Mr. Kent mer environment ministers John Baird and “Well certainly, we can reassure the United “We’ll go into the agricultural sector; the intends to present his government’s environ- Jim Prentice, and what approaches of theirs States, and I think the State Department has regulations which will be posted a little bit mental policies to the world. do you plan on continuing? made it clear that they believe oil from the oil later this spring regarding the conversion Environmental issues are now global “I think we’ll probably see as we move sands is not only secure, it is being regulated standards and the timelines for the coal-fired issues, tackled by global leadership. In that forward. I don’t have a plan on performance and the emissions from it are being regulated generating stations will have some provision sense, Canada’s environment minister must or approach. I’ll do it as I did in my previous in a responsible manner. for feedback from the industry with regards have the instincts of a diplomat, having to assignment over at [the Department of Foreign “The EPA appears to want more informa- to the timelines for some of the plants. It will attend international conferences and polite- Affairs and International Trade]—basically, tion, and that information is available, and also have provisions with those plants which ly agree or disagree on policies coming from straight talk, honest talk, certainly in this file, will be provided in a timely fashion as we go will choose to make conversion to natural gas. all corners of the globe. Negotiators might based on facts and based on science.” forward. Whether it’s the new standard for “There’s a certain amount of flexibility, do the dirty work, but as the senior political our water monitoring in the Athabaska river but we are proceeding to meet our short- figure, he signs off on whatever they pro- In regards to that approach, diplomats basin, or in eventual emissions standards term targets, and the longer-term targets duce, and is therefore accountable for its outside of the Americas don’t necessarily and regulations for the plants in either con- as well. Where flexibility is advised by our implications. know a lot about you. Many are concerned ventional oil or the oil sands. scientists or by economic realities, we’ll Mr. Kent already has experience in inter- with the environmental file. What’s your “So it’s not as though there are a lot of consider those, and in other cases where national relations, having been the Harper plan for engaging with other countries, black holes regarding information regarding timelines might be shorter than some in the government’s junior foreign minister for the and are there specific countries you want the way the oil sands are being responsibly industry will like, we’ll proceed.” Americas over the past two years, and estab- to focus on, or work with? exploited in a sustainable manner. But if there [email protected] EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—15 Back To Parliament

it described 2006 Israeli military ized this approach could not be kept advances in Lebanon as a “mea- up in certain circumstances. sured” response, even while groups For example, he says, the gov- like Amnesty International were say- ernment was initially critical of the Parsing the principles ing both sides were killing civilians. UN, even going so far as to ques- While this steadfastness has tion UN tactics when a Canadian where that contradicts with the pro- now chairman emeritus at Ogilvy won the Conservatives support peacekeeper in Lebanon was killed Carl Meyer motion of moral values, economic Renault, agrees that there is no way from some voters and global in the 2006 conflict. But relations considerations will win out. to view the use of the “principles” leaders, it has alienated others with the UN improved to the point hile analysts for years have In this sense, he says the princi- term other than as rhetoric. But he and infuriated more than a few. where the government decided to Wbeen dismissing it as simply a ples are used to buy time while the stresses that there is nothing neces- Yet the government continues proceed with Canada’s campaign rhetorical device, the Harper gov- government decides what move sarily wrong “with setting out, by way its approach of standing by its for a seat on the Security Council. ernment’s stated commitment to a to make next, as opposed to an of principles, what your goals are and Middle Eastern ally, even escalat- In 2011, the “principles” will con- “principled” foreign policy approach “operative” guide to predict policy. how you’re going to dress them up.” ing the unconditional nature of the tinue to be front and centre in any continues to endure five years on. “They’ve just been tacking until But there is the flip side to the relationship, to the point where foreign affairs pronouncement from The phrase— including some vari- they got their feet on the ground,” use of the term, such as in Canada’s then-junior foreign affairs minister Canada. It has already applied the ation on Canada’s support for “free- he said. bid for a UN Security Council seat in Peter Kent said last February that term to Canada’s engagement in dom,” “democracy,” “human rights” In terms of China and other 2010 and its support for Israel and “an attack on Israel would be con- Sudan, which will soon announce and “the rule of law”—has been omni- issues where the government has Israeli policy, where it has applied sidered an attack on Canada.” the results of its secession referen- present since the Conservative Party dropped the use of the “princi- the approach, met with opposition, Steve Staples, president of the dum. France, a country with which election platform of 2006, and was ples,” he says, it was the result and decided to dig in its heels. Rideau Institute, which has disagreed Canada says common principles, still being used last week in a state- of the Conservatives coming into The government has made it a with the government over its planned will host the G-20. The EU and India ment about vandalism at Montreal power from opposition and not centerpiece of its foreign policy to purchase of stealth fighter jets, says trade deals might be signed, and Synagogues. understanding the nuances of how support Israel through and through. the government came into office with the government’s track record with It is the one idiom Conservatives to govern in international relations. Right off the bat, the government an “ideological bent on foreign pol- these entities would suggest yet reach for when they want to invoke Former diplomat Yves Fortier, made its support clear when icy,” but Mr. Harper eventually real- more “principles” talk. how the government sees its core values. A search through govern- Ministers, Secretaries and Opposition Critics ment announcements shows the use of the term repeatedly each The following is an updated list of contact details for Government of Canada ministers, secretaries of state, parliamentary secretaries and opposition critics that deal directly or indirectly with international issues: year, and involved in some way MINISTERS LIBERAL CRITICS or another in most major foreign Portfolio Name Chief of Staff Phone No. Email Portfolio Name Phone No. Email policy engagements. Agriculture and Agri-Food Gerry Ritz Aaron Gairdner 613-773-1059 [email protected] Agriculture Wayne Easter 613-992-2406 [email protected] It has been used to explain why CIDA Bev Oda 819-953-6238 [email protected] Arctic and Northern Issues Larry Bagnell 613-995-9368 [email protected] the government committed troops Citizenship, Asia-Pacific Gateway Sukh Dhaliwal 613-992-0666 [email protected] Immigration CIDA Glen Pearson 613-992-0805 [email protected] to Afghanistan, why Canadians have and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney Howard Anglin 613-954-1064 [email protected] Citizenship and Immigration Justin Trudeau 613-995-8872 [email protected] died there, the importance of con- Environment Consular Affairs Dan McTeague 613-995-8082 [email protected] tinuing to support NATO and the Water Peter Kent Stephanie Machel 819-997-1441 [email protected] Environment Gerard Kennedy 613-992-2936 [email protected] G8, how the government approaches Finance Jim Flaherty Kevin McCarthy 613-996-7861 [email protected] Finance Scott Brison 613-995-8231 [email protected] its bilateral relationship with other Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea Louise Girouard 613-992-3474 [email protected] Fisheries and Oceans Rodger Cuzner 613-992-6756 [email protected] countries, why it feels it can lecture Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Bob Rae 613-992-5234 [email protected] the leadership of countries with civil Francophonie La Francophonie Raymonde Folco 613-992-2659 [email protected] Sovereignty Lawrence Cannon Paul Terrien 613-995-1851 [email protected] Health Ujjal Dosanjh 613-995-7052 [email protected] or military conflicts, why it lost the Health Leona Aglukkaq Scott Tessier 613-957-0200 [email protected] Human Rights Irwin Cotler 613-995-0121 [email protected] UN Security Council vote, and why Heritage Industry Marc Garneau 613-996-7267 [email protected] it launched re-engagement with the Sports James Moore Joanne McNamara 819-997-7788 [email protected] International Trade Martha Hall Findlay 613-992-4964 [email protected] Americas at the expense of Africa. Human Resources Diane Finley Mike Fraser 819-994-2482 [email protected] Justice Marlene Jennings 613-995-2251 [email protected] In general, it is invoked to both Indian Affairs and Multiculturalism Robert Oliphant 613-992-2855 [email protected] explain the government’s successes Northern Development John Duncan David McArthur 613-997-0002 [email protected] National Defence Dominic LeBlanc 613-992-1020 [email protected] as well as excuse its failures. This Industry Tony Clement Darren Cunningham 613-995-9001 [email protected] Natural Resources Denis Coderre 613-995-6108 [email protected] International Trade Peter Van Loan Sandra Buckler 613-992-7332 [email protected] Public Safety & National Security Mark Holland 613-995-8042 [email protected] is because Prime Minister Stephen Justice Rob Nicholson Maureen Murphy 613-992-4621 [email protected] Tourism Gerry Byrne 613-996-5511 [email protected] Harper believes that global leadership Labour Lisa Raitt Douglas Smith 819-953-5646 [email protected] Transport and Infrastructure John McCallum 613-996-3374 [email protected] flows from “the stockpile of moral National Defence Peter MacKay John MacDonell 613-996-3100 [email protected] Veterans’ Affairs Kristy Duncan 613-995-4702 [email protected] authority a nation builds up” when it Natural Resources “upholds” these principles, as he told Energy Christian Paradis Marc Vallières 613-996-2007 [email protected] BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS CRITICS Chinese President Hu Jintao last June. Public Safety Portfolio Name Phone No. Email Yet just as the statement persists, CBSA Agriculture André Bellevance 613-995-1554 [email protected] Canada-US Border and Trade Asia-Pacific Jean Dorion 613-992-8514 [email protected] it perplexes. There are clear exam- National Security Vic Toews Andrew House 613-991-2924 [email protected] CIDA Johanne Deschamps 613-992-2289 [email protected] ples, such as in Canada’s approach Transport and Citizenship and Immigration Thierry St-Cyr 613-995-6403 [email protected] to Mr. Hu’s home country, where the Infrastructure Chuck Strahl Laurie Throness 613-991-0700 [email protected] Environment Bernard Bigras 613-992-0423 [email protected] government applied the “principled” Asia-Pacific Gateway Finance Daniel Paillé 613-947-4576 [email protected] approach, began to see problems, Atlantic Gateway Fisheries and Oceans Raynald Blais 613-992-6188 [email protected] and promptly changed tactics. Canada Post Foreign Affairs Francine Lalonde 613-995-6327 [email protected] In 2006 and 2007, experts talked Veterans’ Affairs Jean-Pierre Blackburn Sylvain Frenette 613-996-4649 [email protected] La Francophonie Monique Guay 613-992-3257 [email protected] Health Luc Malo 613-996-2998 [email protected] about a “cooling-off period” where MINISTERS OF STATE Indian Affairs and Northern Development Marc Lemay 613-996-3250 [email protected] Mr. Harper began to criticize the Portfolio Name Chief of Staff Phone No. Email Industry Robert Bouchard 613-992-7207 [email protected] Chinese for its human rights record. Agriculture and International Trade Jean-Yves Laforest 613-995-4895 [email protected] In November 2006, as Mr. Harper Agri-Food Jean-Pierre Blackburn Sylvain Frenette 613-996-4649 [email protected] Justice Serge Ménard 613-992-2617 [email protected] was being counterattacked for what Americas and National Defence Claude Bachand 613-992-5296 [email protected] critics saw as rampant diplomatic Consular Affairs Diane Ablonczy Norm McIntosh 613-944-2300 [email protected] Natural Resources Paule Brunelle 613-992-2349 [email protected] bridge burning, he defended himself. Asia-Pacific Gateway Stockwell Day Neil Drabkin 613-992-7332 [email protected] Public Safety Maria Mourani 613-992-0983 [email protected] Atlantic Gateway Keith Ashfield Kevin MacAdam 613-995-2960 [email protected] Science and Technology Serge Cardin 613-943-7896 [email protected] “I don’t think Canadians want us to Democratic Reform Steven Fletcher Vijay Chauhan 613-995-5609 [email protected] Transport and Infrastructure Michel Guimond 613-995-9732 [email protected] sell out important Canadian values— Finance Ted Menzies Kevin McCarthy 613-996-7861 [email protected] Veterans’ Affairs Guy André 613-992-5681 [email protected] our belief in democracy, freedom, Francophonie Josée Verner Tom Creary 613-943-1838 [email protected] human rights,” he told reporters. Tourism Rob Moore 613-943-6183 [email protected] NDP CRITICS But in the last two years, the Transport Rob Merrifield Shane Bourke 613-991-0700 [email protected] Portfolio Name Phone No. Email government stopped talking about Agriculture Alex Atamanenko 613-996-8036 [email protected] principles as often as it did and rela- PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES Americas Denise Savoie 613-996-2358 [email protected] Portfolio Name Phone No. Email Arctic Sovereignty Dennis Bevington 613-992-4587 [email protected] tions have picked up. Now the talk of Agriculture Pierre Lemieux 613-992-0490 [email protected] CIDA John Rafferty 613-992-3061 [email protected] “important Canadian values” has dis- Asia-Pacific and Brian Jean 613-992-1154 [email protected] Citizenship and Immigration Olivia Chow 613-992-2352 [email protected] appeared: At a Jan. 21 speech by Mr. Atlantic Gateways Environment Linda Duncan 613-995-7325 [email protected] Harper to a Chinese business gather- Citizenship and Richard Dykstra 613-992-3352 [email protected] Finance Thomas Mulcair 613-995-7691 [email protected] ing in Markham, the words “freedom” Immigration Foreign Affairs Paul Dewar 613-996-5322 [email protected] and “democracy,” and the phrases Environment Mark Warawa 613-992-1157 [email protected] Health Megan Leslie 613-995-7614 [email protected] “human rights” and “the rule of law” Finance Ted Menzies 613-996-7861 [email protected] Human Rights Wayne Marston 613-9926535 [email protected] Fisheries and Oceans Randy Kamp 613-947-4613 [email protected] Industry Brian Masse 613-996-1541 [email protected] were nowhere to be found. Foreign Affairs and CIDA Deepak Obhrai 613-947-4566 [email protected] International Trade Peter Julian 613-992-4214 [email protected] As a result, analysts see the Industry Mike Lake 613-995-8695 [email protected] Justice Joe Comartin 613-947-3445 [email protected] use of these principles as a rhe- International Trade Gerald Keddy 613-996-0877 [email protected] La Francophonie Claude Gravelle 613-995-9107 [email protected] torical device, used to invoke an Multiculturalism Alice Wong 613-995-2021 [email protected] National Defence Jack Harris 613-996-7269 [email protected] emotional response. John Curtis, National Defence Laurie Hawn 613-992-4524 [email protected] Natural Resources Nathan Cullen 613-993-6654 [email protected] a distinguished fellow with the Natural Resources David Anderson 613-992-0657 [email protected] Public Safety Don Davies 613-943-0267 [email protected] Centre for International Governance Public Safety and Science and Technology Jim Maloway 613-995-6339 [email protected] Innovation, argues the government’s the Border Dave MacKenzie 613-995-4432 [email protected] Tourism Bruce Hyer 613-996-4792 [email protected] Veterans’ Affairs Greg Kerr 613-995-5711 [email protected] main priority is the economy, and EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—16 Back To Parliament Tories on collision course with the charter?

Anca Gurzu

n Dec. 1, Liberal MPs announced it would Onot support the government’s controver- sial anti-human smuggling bill because some of the proposed measures would unfairly target refugees and violate their rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A day later, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney was on the phone with ethnic media across the country to talk about bill C-49, accusing the Liberals of overstepping their role in intentionally opposing tough mea- sures that would protect the integrity of Canada’s refugee system. “The position of the Liberal Party is bizarre, because it’s not for them to decide whether the law complies with the charter,” Mr. Kenney said. “That’s for the courts. The file photo role of Parliament is to adopt legislation to address particular problems…. Undoubtedly Embassy there would then be constitutional challeng- The government admitted that Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon’s steadfast refusal to grant Abousfian Abdelrazik an emergency passport es and the courts could decide if there are violated his charter right “to enter Canada,” but rejected the court’s finding that Mr. Cannon breached his rights knowingly and in bad faith. any problems. This is a Liberal diversion.” Diversion or not, experts say that since without offering them the opportunity for a people, the charter shouldn’t apply, and if it claims he was tortured in Sudan’s prisons taking power five years ago this month, the hearing infringed on their “right to life, liber- does, then it is empowering the wrong people. after Canadian counterterrorism agents Harper government has bumped up against ty and security of the person,” as described At one point during Mr. Khadr’s detention arranged for his arrest despite knowing he the Charter of Rights and Freedoms more in section seven of the charter. in Guantanamo Bay, Canadian government may face torture. He was then refused return frequently on foreign policy files than most But it is exactly this generally-drafted officials questioned the teen, with the infor- to Canada for years until a Federal Court governments in Canadian history. section of the document that has led to mation gathered turned over to American judge ruled the Harper government had vio- Those who support the charter say it huge delays in the processing of claims in authorities for use against him. lated his rights and ordered him flown home. ensures Canada remains a liberal, progres- the refugee and immigration systems, says Mr. Khadr’s legal team used the incident The government admitted that Foreign sive country where everyone can enjoy the Martin Collacott, former ambassador now on in court as part of their demand to have their Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon’s steadfast same rights and freedoms. the board of directors of the newly-founded client repatriated to Canada, arguing his refusal to grant Mr. Abdelrazik an emergency However, the Conservatives have made Centre for Immigration Policy Reform. charter rights had been violated. The Harper passport violated his charter right “to enter no secret of their distaste for the controver- As opposed to other sections that specify government, which had taken an unmoving Canada,” but rejected the court’s finding that sial document, arguing it empowers individu- that rights apply only to Canadian citizens, sec- stand on the Khadr file, took the issue all the Mr. Cannon breached his rights knowingly als—particularly foreigners and criminals— tion seven—and some of the following ones— way to the Supreme Court of Canada. and in bad faith, according to reports. Mr. at the expense of Canadian society. refer to “everyone” in the description of rights. In a January 2010 ruling, the top court Abdelrazik sued the government for $27 mil- There are some who feel the Harper “The charter is somehow held up as a per- ruled the federal government came down lion in compensation in 2009. government is intentionally targeting the fect document,” Mr. Collacott says. “But unfor- on both sides. The unanimous ruling stat- charter, building a case against it with leg- tunately, it’s a flawed document. It should ed that “courts are empowered to make Domestic calculations islation like Bill C-49 and court cases like have never given these rights to everyone, orders ensuring that the government’s for- Asked whether the charter puts excessive that which said it had to help Omar Khadr. but only to those with some sort of status.” eign affairs prerogative is exercised in accor- restrictions on the government’s executive Experts say the trend certainly shows that Although the Singh case set a precedent dance with the constitution.” powers when dealing with foreign policy, the Conservatives will continue taking the when dealing with refugees in Canada, there The judges found that Mr. Khadr’s rights a spokesperson for Mr. Cannon said that document on, especially on foreign policy. is another 1985 case that sent an even bigger under the charter had been violated since “Canada is committed to the rule of law, both message: any executive decision is review- Canadian officials tried to obtain evidence from at home and abroad.” Setting a precedent able under the Charter—even foreign policy. the prisoner, despite knowing he was being mis- But these examples and also a glance at The government introduced Bill C-49 in In Operation Dismantle, a group of protest- treated, by being detained indefinitely and with- recent policy changes highlight the fact that late October in an effort to crack down on ers argued that the US testing of cruise mis- out access to legal counsel. This, the statement the Harper government “holds the view that human smuggling. This was in response siles over Canadian territory increased the read, “offends the most basic Canadian stan- the charter has no application outside of to a boat that arrived at a port in British risk of nuclear war and that also made Canada dards about the treatment of detained youth Canada’s borders,” Mr. Champ, who was one Columbia in August carrying almost 500 a target. The Supreme Court struck down the suspect,” and the government was ordered to of Mr. Abdelrazik’s lawyers, alleges. Tamil asylum seekers. case, saying that foreign policy decisions are take some measure to correct the issue. That aside, there is a broad cross-sec- Under the proposed legislation, claim- unpredictable, and thus the perceived danger However, it also decided that in this tion of the Canadian population that looks ants falling under the so-called “irregular is only speculative. However, the final ruling specific case, it would not be “appropri- at the Charter as empowering individuals at arrival” category could spend up to a year also stated that the court had a constitutional ate for the court to give direction as to the the expense of society. In an interview with in detention while officials process their obligation “to decide whether any particular diplomatic steps necessary to address the the CBC shortly after being elected, former claims, and accepted refugees in the category act of the executive violated or threatened to breaches of Mr. Khadr’s charter rights.” As Ontario police chief and new Minister of State would remain under temporary protection in violate any right of the citizen.” a result, the government could not be forced for Seniors Julian Fantino said: “In some cases, Canada for five years, with the possibility of This shows that “in no way is the area of to ask the US to return Mr. Khadr to Ottawa. the Charter has been exploited and the rul- being returned to their home countries at the foreign policy immune from the Charter,” says The Supreme Court aimed to achieve “a ings that have followed have, in fact, benefit- end of that period if conditions there permit. constitutional expert Peter Russell. balancing act” in its decision, by recognizing ed some criminals, absolutely. The Supreme Groups like the Canadian Council for they are trenching upon areas that were pre- Court of Canada and other court rulings are Refugees have argued C-49 is likely in viola- Recent Cases viously the exclusive purview of the execu- trying to change some of the misinterpreta- tion of the charter and Canada’s internation- Mr. Khadr is the last Western prisoner tive power, Mr. Champ says. tions that have been given as to the reason, the al obligations. The Canadian Bar Association at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. “The court tried to respect the policy purpose, and the mechanisms of the charter.” has also stated C-49 violates the asylum He has been held there since October 2002, sphere of the government, but at the same The early marks of an effort to take on the seekers’ rights. The proposed legislation, accused of killing a US soldier in Afghanistan time they will not give a free pass to the gov- Charter? Mr. Champ says that in the case of the group argues, would go against section when he was 15 years old by throwing a ernment when human rights are at stake.” the anti-human smuggling bill, it is clear the 9 and 10 of the document, breaching charter grenade. After years of procedural wrangling Mr. Russell agrees, describing the court’s Conservatives “are trying to appeal to a certain protection against unreasonable search or and court challenges, Mr. Khadr pleaded decision as “cautious.” segment of the population,” while Mr. Russell seizure and against arbitrary detention. guilty to murder in October 2010 and was “It’s one thing to win a case in principle, says “it would not be at all surprising if they Through this bill, the government is send- sentenced to eight years in prison. it’s another to get the remedy you need to would try to do now what they can to minimize ing the message that it is willing to come up Canadians have long been divided over really enjoy your victory,” he said. the impact of the Charter on their government.” against the charter, says Errol Mendes, an Mr. Khadr’s case. Some see him as a child Eventually, the government sent a diplo- Mr. Collacott, who has been a long-time critic expert in constitutional law at the University soldier who was only doing what he was told matic note to the US asking that the informa- of some aspects of the 1982 document, says the of Ottawa. by his father and other extremists, someone tion obtained during Mr. Khadr’s questioning Conservatives might be on to “a real problem.” “They are trying to undermine one of Canadians should take back and help over- at the hands of Canadian officials not be used “Nobody wants to touch the charter with the earliest decisions the courts ever made, come his terrible childhood. For them, the during his trial—a request that was subse- a 10-foot pole, because we’ve told it’s part of which showed that the charter is a reflection charter applies, no questions asked. quently rejected by US authorities, leading to our identity,” he says. “But this government of Canadian values,” he says. Others, however, say that Mr. Khadr knew a fresh round of court battles here in Canada. will probably be prepared to talk about it more Mr. Mendes is referring to the Singh case. what was right and wrong, that no one told him Abousfian Abdelrazik’s case, however, led than the Liberals, who drafted it and who don’t In 1985, the Supreme Court of Canada decid- to shoot a gun or throw a grenade, and they see to more tangible results—largely because it want to think of it as anything but perfect. The ed that the government’s decision to deny him no differently than those still waging war didn’t involve a foreign government. Conservatives have no attachment to it.” seven Sikh foreign nationals refugee status on Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. For these The Sudanese-born Canadian citizen [email protected] EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—17 EMBASSY Classifieds INFORMATION AND ADVERTISEMENT PLACEMENT: TEL. 613-232-2922, FAX 613-232-9055

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(18+) Classic Up to 5Mps Download and 800Kbps Upload. ORDER TODAY AT www.acanac. ca or CALL TOLL-FREE: 1-866-281-3538. 0205 AUCTIONS 0205 AUCTIONS Heritage A FREE TELEPHONE SERVICE Get Your First Month Free. Bad Credit, Don’t Sweat It. No Deposits. No Credit ~ Checks. Call Freedom Phone Lines Today Toll-Free 1-866-884-7464. Browse www.thoughtfulangels.com and contact us for details on how to win an ANGEL PIN of your choice. (613).238.1835 Thousands of Angels and other prod- ucts on display. EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—18 Party Time

Snowshoeing!

2 photo: Ulle Baum 4 5 Embassy Rosa Luz Garcia Rosell De Bellina, wife of the ambassador of Peru, hosted a morning of snowshoeing for diplomatic spouses and the Canadian Federation of University Women—Diplomatic Hospitality Group on Jan. 22. 1. Siti Hazura Mohd Ghaus, wife of the acting high commissioner for Malaysia, tries on some snowshoes. 2. Hanan Mohamed Abdel Kader, wife of the Egyptian ambassador, enjoys her first time snowshoeing. 3. Diplomatic spouses and members of the Diplomatic Hospitality Group pose for a photo in the Peruvian residence. 1 3 4. Elizabeth Paredes of Ecuador dances in the snow. 5. Kumi Takahashi and Asako Takano, both from Japan, show off their shoes.

Year of India

7 9 Togo Farewell photo: Sam Garcia 6 Embassy To mark the start of the Year of India in Canada, the High Commission and Carleton University signed a memorandum of understanding on a new visiting chair of humanities and social science on Jan. 24 at the school. 6. Pradeep Merchant, chair of the Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber, and Carleton president Roseann O’Reilly Runte. 7. Indian High Commissioner SM Gavai chats with Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services Madeleine Meilleur. 8. Baraj Sinha, president-elect of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, with Mr. 8 10 Gavai and Ms. O’Reilly Runte. BCS Summer Language Camp Local and International Moves

A residential summer camp for boys and girls ages 11–16 150 offi ces in over 50 countries 45 years of experience relocating the international July 3–30, 2011 diplomatic and expatriate community. photo: Sam Garcia 11

50 Embassy For a free estimate on your move, years or information on customized storage solutions, Mali Ambassador Mamadou Bandiougou Diawara of summer fun! call now 613 853 7120, or 866 870 1004, hosted a dinner with the rest of the African diplomatic or email [email protected] corps at the Château Laurier on Jan. 21 to bid farewell Inspired for Life to Togo Ambassador Bawoumondom Amelete, who is • Classroom instruction in English or French also dean of the corps. www.BishopsCollegeSchool.com On parle francais aussi 9. Mr. Diawara; Madagascar Ambassador Simon Constant [email protected] • Bilingual sports and recreational programmes Vancouver s Calgary s Montreal s Ottawa s Toronto Horace; Ms. Amelete; and her husband, Mr. Amelete. TM (819) 566-0227 ext. 319 • Sherbrooke, QC • Small classes with students from around the world Well-connected. Worldwide. www.crownrelo.com 10. The African diplomatic corps poses for a picture. 12. Mr. Amelete tries to capture the moment. EMBASSY, Wednesday, January 26, 2011—19 Envoys & Events Banking veteran takes top job in Ottawa like to learn more about Canada’s system. update its free trade agreement with Costa Rica. our new generation?” While Canada and Costa Rica already The two countries signed the deal in Mr. Delgado is married and has four daugh- share a good relationship and many com- 2001, but are now looking to add more ters. Two of them and his wife moved with him mon values, Mr. Delgado has industries, the ambassador to the suburban neighbourhood of Barrhaven. ANCA GURZU arrived in Ottawa with several says. While Canada would like He taught courses in international econom- strategies for strengthening ties services added to the deal, Mr. ics and business strategy for many years at between the two countries. Delgado says he would like to the University of Costa Rica, while at the same Diplomatic The ambassador would like see, among others, more oppor- time serving on the board of directors of vari- Circles to see more foreign investment tunities for the Costa Rican ous other groups, such as the Children Pro- from Canada in the area of medi- banking industry in Canada. Hospital Association and VISA International. s president of the Bank of Costa cal devices. Since hospitals in The ambassador would also He describes the banking industry as Rica’s board of directors, Luis Costa Rica have high standards like to strike deals with Canadian “beautiful.” “You can do many things and Carlos Delgado Murillo was lead- and labour is plentiful, the door universities that give Costa Rican help many people,” he says. “But it demands ing a pretty good life. So when he is open to Canadians to invest Luis Carlos students more opportunities here. a lot of your time. Seven days, 24 hours.” A Delgado Murillo. was offered the opportunity to represent his in medical technology, he says, “Most people used to go to Perhaps this is why Mr. Delgado finds relax- country abroad last year, the former univer- hoping more Canadian collabora- Chile and Argentina to get their ation in a not-so-common hobby: He has been sity professor had a tough decision to make. tion will lead to increased quality of life for degrees,” Mr. Delgado says. “Now we believe a licensed private pilot since 1975 and has been “We could not have moved to any place people in the region. some of our students must go to other flying ever since. He says he will pick the hobby better than where we were,” Mr. Delgado “This is very important to us,” Mr. countries. Most of them go to the United up in Canada as well if the opportunity arises. says. “I was very, very comfortable there, Delgado says. “We believe that we can solve States, but Canada has both languages, has “To me, there is more freedom when you with many responsibilities, of course.” our problems through the region. As a small a democratic tradition, has similar values, are in the skies,” he says. Mr. Delgado was offered three choices for country, you cannot have an island with the so why not see Canada as a reference for [email protected] his posting: Italy, Switzerland and Canada. He maximum standard of living and the rest of chose Canada, he says, because there is a lot your neighbours with low standards of living. the two countries can learn from each other “For us it’s very important to find a part- from dealing with the financial crisis. ner with similar characteristics as the ones As a veteran of the banking industry, Costa we have in order to upgrade our lives.”  Rica’s new ambassador to Canada was closely Mr. Delgado, who holds a postgraduate involved in helping his country get through the degree in economic development from the recession. Since Canada’s banks did not have University of Florida, is starting his posting in to be bailed out, Mr. Delgado says he would Ottawa during a year when Canada is looking to No point OTTAWA Listings in looking Submit your Ottawa-based event to listings@embas- documentary on humanitarian Badash Khan The Frontier Ghandi: anywhere symag.ca or fax to 613-232-9055 by Friday at 5 p.m. Badash. A Torch for Peace. Followed by a Q&A. Bell Theatre,  Carleton University, 1125 Col. By Dr. www.frontierghandi.com WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26 Alpha Centre Reception—Brendon Browne, high Australia celebrates Australia Day. It commemorates the else! commissioner for the Countries of the Organisation of Eastern proclamation of British sovereignty over Australia (the penal Carribean States, and The Orleans Rotary Club invites you to colony of New South Wales in 1788.) For information on any a reception to help raise funds for the Alpha Centre School for celebrations, please call the embassy at 613-236-0841. the Developmentally Disabled in Dominica. 6 p.m. $25. Ottawa Eggs ‘N’ Icons Breakfast—Michele McKenzie of the Police Association, 141 Catherine St. 613-236-8952 ext. 227. Canadian Tourism Commission will discuss “The High Stakes TUESDAY, FEB. 1 Business of Global Tourism: The World’s Fastest Growing Sector.” 7:15-9 a.m. $35 members; $45 non-members. Newsmaker Breakfast—The Press Club of Canada Presented by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. Rideau presents a newsmaker breakfast with new executive director of Room, Sheraton Hotel, 150 Albert St., Ottawa, Ont. www. UNICEF, Anthony Lake. Feb. 1, 7:45 a.m. Sheraton Hotel, 150 FREE ottawachamber.ca Albert St., Ottawa, Ont. http://www.pressclubcanada.ca Chasing the Dragon: Will India Catch-up with Canadian Public Opinion and the Policy China?—Mohan Guruswamy, chairman of the Canadian Agenda—Environics Institute and the University of Ottawa Centre for Policy Alternatives, will discuss “Chasing the present a half-day conference “Canadian Public Opinion Dragon: Will India Catch Up with China?” Presented by and the Policy Agenda: Are Canadian Values and Priorities the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at Becoming More Conservative?” The conference will deal with frames the University of Ottawa. Room 3105, Desmarais Building, new research on Canadian public attitudes and priorities University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Ave. E. www.uottawa.ca about the important issues facing the country at the start of a new decade. Founder and president of Environics Institute Energy Security and Pipeline Politics: Azerbaijani Michael Adams will head up a panel of public policy experts Perspectives—Join Azerbaijani Ambassador Farid Shafiyev who will discuss the implications of this new research. Feb. 1, for a talk entitled “Energy Security and Pipeline Politics: 8:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. $325 (includes continental breakfast and Wide selection in all styles! Azerbaijani Perspectives.” 12-1:30 p.m. St. Brigid’s, 310 St. copy of the research report). University of Ottawa, Desmarais Patrick St. Free. http://azerbaijanevent.eventsbot.com Building, 55 Laurier Ave. E., Ottawa, Ont. To register or for IDRC Lecture—Join Globe and Mail journalist Doug more information, contact Carole Allman at 613-230-5089 or Saunders, author of Arrival City, for a talk on the develop- [email protected] ment policy implications of booming urbanization and the Nigeria’s Current Political Crisis—The Centre for people involved. 4:30-6 p.m. Free. W. David Hopper Room, Security and Defense Studies at Carleton University presents IDRC, 150 Kent St., 8th floor, Ottawa, Ont. Register to www. guest speaker John Campbell of the Council on Foreign idrc.ca/events-saunders Relations who will discuss “Dancing on the Brink: Nigeria’s Political Crisis.” 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Room 2017, Dunton Tower, Carleton University, 1125 Col. By Dr. Register to 613- THURSDAY, JAN. 27 520-2600 ext. 6671 or [email protected] Kanata Orleans Rideau Book Launch—Author David McNicoll launches his new In Conversation with Bob Rae & Book Signing— 45, Didsbury Road Innes Rd - East of J. D’Arc 137 Rideau St. book Journey of a Citizen: Searching for Earth’s Reality Within Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae will discuss “Canada ( In front of Canadian Tire) 613.841.9944 ( Near Nicholas Street) the Dysfunction of Canada” He will be available for a Q&A. and the World: International Policy Network.” He will also 613.287.5665 613.680.9371 Jan. 27, 7-9 p.m. Auditorium, Ottawa Public Library, 120 discuss his most recent book, Exporting Democracy, The Risks Metcalfe St., Ottawa, Ont. http://web.ncf.ca/journeyofacitizen and Rewards of Pursuing a Good Idea. Presented by CIC Ottawa Human Rights and United Nations—Join speaker National Capital Branch. $45 members; $55 non-members. Nepean O’Connor at Laurier Also in Gatineau Peggy Hicks of Human Rights Watch for a talk “Human Rights Sheraton Hotel, 150 Albert St. Contact: Sandy McCoy 613- Bayshore Shopping Centre 613.237.7270 Le Plateau (Hull) and The United Nations.” Presented by CIPS at the University 520-3916 or [email protected] 613.829.4057 819.420.0988 of Ottawa. 12:30-2 p.m. Room 3120, 55 Laurier Ave. E. A Taste of the Arctic—Inuit Tapirit Kanatami presents Train Yards www.cips.uottawa.ca a Taste of the Arctic, a celebration of Arctic food and culture. Merivale Rd. – E. of Clyde 613.688.5090 Former governor general Michaëlle Jean will be in attendance. 613.226.1061 Promenades de l’Outaouais Proceeds go towards the Avataq Cultural Institute. 6 p.m. 819.568.1918 SATURDAY, JAN. 29 $195. Great Hall, National Gallery of Canada, 380 Sussex Winter Celebration at Rideau Hall—Enjoy a day Dr., Ottawa, Ont. 613-238-8181 ext. 276 or [email protected] www.newlook.ca 1 800 463-LOOK (5665) of outdoor fun, Nordic sports and traditions at Rideau Hall, *This offer is valid for a limited time on selected frames and applies to the purchase of full glasses including prescription lenses with hosted by the governor general. The Embassies of Norway WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2 scratch-resistant treatment. Cannot be combined with any other rebate or promotion. Frames for reference only. Details in store. and Finland will be on hand to offer hot drinks and present Michel Laurendeau, optician. some activities, such as the giant ski and the Finnish kick sled. Ambassador’s Lecture Series—Japanese Ambassador 1-4 p.m. Rideau Hall. www.gg.ca Kaoru Ishikawa will discuss “The importance of the basics: Facts about Japan for the 21st century.” 7 p.m. Senate Room Eye examinations on the premises by optometrists The Frontier Ghandi: Badash Khan, A Torch for 083, Tabaret Hall, University of Ottawa.” Contact: Prof. Sheri Outside prescriptions accepted Peace—Carleton University presents filmmaker TC McLuhan’s Zhang, 613-720-2394 or [email protected] Beyond WIGthe THIS IS THE THING side 6!

Happy Sound Cake !/R\ makes the happiness. The deliciousness that The Vietnamese !&& pancake will put a pancake catches you a little off guard. It’s a smile on your face wonderful thing. with every bite. Bánh xèo (pronounced Crab Noodle Soup “bahn sayP# O%%!&P 0,R&! bún riêu cua !\ noodle crab simmer and eggs. To the translates literally as . North American eater The rice noodles are thicker than what you it looks more like a ! crepe or an omelette noodle. They are joined in your bowl by than a pancake ! R! !N Photos: Jon Lomow &! and traditionally with (congealed pig’s by Jon Lomow bean sprouts. The !#2Rleaves dish is named after the sound made when out the pig’s blood5! !\ ness. Other cities just don’t seem to have These dishes are great examples of how our — especially when you’re hungry at 3 a.m. Vietnamese kitchens are doing more than This is indeed a wonderful thing about N!! Ottawa. See details on thewig.ca

The Huong Vietnamese Bistro at 343 Booth and Vietnamese lexicon with more than just the batter hits the pan. It’s also known as ph O!&Psizzling and you can feel it in the friendly service. sound is always a happy one — except There are a number of great indulgences maybe when it’s your brain. ! *!, ! will really knock your socks off — which !! apparently can’t actually happen without !!!! your legs going with them. water and lemon. Huong’s version stays true

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