Yesterday US Ambassador David Wilkins sat through a speech in Toronto by Canadian Ambassador to the US, Frank McKenna and made a comment after that McKenna’s remarks didn’t bother him.

I think the media is trying to make hay where there is none. The headline today in the National Post in a misnomer.

U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins “respectfully disagreed” yesterday with undiplomatic comments by his Canadian counterpart Frank McKenna, who called the United States government dysfunctional.

Wilkins, who has been on the job three months is supposed to respectfully disagree, it’s his job.

Speaking to the National Post editorial board, Mr. Wilkins pointed out that Mr. McKenna, a former New Brunswick premier, is one of the first Canadian ambassadors to Washington who was a politician before becoming a diplomat.

“It is sometimes politically popular to criticize the United States, for whatever reason,” Mr. Wilkins said. “I’m not accusing anyone of any motives, but it’s not lost on me that Canada is in an election year mode now. So it’s not lost on me that it is sometimes well-received to do that. I don’t think it gets us anywhere, I don’t think it helps our overall relationship but I was in politics 25 years, I understand that.”

Nice shot, but it doesn’t quite fly. Wilkins said Canadians don’t have to put down the United States to feel good about themselves. A very true statement Mr. Ambassador. The vast majority of Canadians don’t, and contrary to myth, do not define themselves in terms of being not-American.

“The majority of [Mr. McKenna's] speech was about building Canada up and bragging about the wonderful attributes of Canada and the government of Canada and I agree with that totally,” Mr. Wilkins said.

“I simply don’t think you have to tear one country down to build the other up, and that’s where I disagree on that…. I think the United States can stand on its own and be proud of what we do.”

I don’t think there has to be verbal tearing down either. But the issues on the table are not being addressed well. Softwood lumber, BSE, Iraq, missle defense.
Given the trade relationship, one issue could divide us. I also think it is important to know who the speech was given to.

After McKenna’s speech yesterday Wilkins told reporters:

“I think Frank McKenna is a great orator and a good friend,” Wilkins said. “He gave a pretty compelling speech about the attributes of Canada. . . .Quite frankly, I did not take personal the remarks of Mr. McKenna in any way, period.”

Okay. McKenna:

“The United States of America is a wonderful creation — the Constitution is a spectacular thing,” Mr. McKenna said.

“But it was anticipated that it would be established as a country in which there would be a check and balance on the exercise of power. And I can tell you categorically that what has been institutionalized instead is total gridlock. The government of the United States is, in large measure, dysfunctional.”

He said one senator there has 75 staff members, which shows that U.S. policymaking is “so complex that even people who work within government need help to navigate through it.”

I’m inclined to think many Americans would agree with him.
The full text of the speech is not yet online.