Excruciatingly Undiplomatic

The retired American diplomat who was political minister counselor at the American embassy in Ottawa during that tendentious tenure of U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci, is a cranky haranguer of the first order. For some peculiar reason he seems to enjoy expressing his opinion about Canada-U.S. relations, and somehow, Canada always gets a black eye, in his august opinion. Why, on the other hand, his opinion even sees print, is beyond the ken of many who undertake to read his published considerations.

He writes with malice decidedly, definitively aforethought.

But of course, this is from the perspective of a Canadian. Canadians tend to become rather prickly on those occasions when Americans hold forth on our many perceived deficits as a society. Perhaps this reflects a bit of an inferiority complex, living next to the United States, as uneasy neighbours, liking one another, yet occasionally lapsing into introspective denials. Canadians, after all, are (in)famous for their propensity to slight the U.S.

But reading Mr. Jones's latest shot across the bow about the disfavour that Canada does itself in naming the Premier of Manitoba as Canada's next ambassador to the United States, is a bit much. Prime Minister Stephen Harper must have forgotten to review his choice beforehand with Mr. Jones, retired American diplomat. An oversight that will cost him, and us, dearly, according to this expert on U.S.-Canada relations.

He writes with fondness and admiration of former U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Paul Celucci, under whom he served, and whom Canadians simply loathed. As an ambassador he was a hectoring, mean-mouthed, bitter diplomat. Mr. Jones appears to have picked up some diplomatic points from his mentor. He writes with disdain of the potential ineffectiveness in Washington of a Western-Canadian political hick.

Comparing Premier Doer, as ambassador to the U.S. unfavourably with the Obama administrations' selection for ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson, as one who has the ear of the president, whereas Mr. Doer, merely a premier, could not possibly have the ear of the uber-premier of Canada. Of course, Mr. Obama has been President for quite some time now, though it is still early days for him, yet Mr. Jacobson has not yet graced us with his presence.

On the other hand, Mr. Jones places his perception of effective diplomacy squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Cellucci, and David Wilkins, a later U.S. ambassador to Canada. Mr. Wilkins, in his ascension to the ambassadorship, was the quintessential diplomat, quietly amusing, likeable, effectively communicative; the polar opposite of Mr. Cellucci. So much for Mr. Jones's discerning ability.

Canada was pleased with our ambassadorial representative, Frank McKenna - another former provincial premier - who emphatically represented Canada's best interests in a difficult portfolio. Just as we have reason to appreciate the professional attributes and contribution of his successor, Michael Wilson, a former Cabinet Minister. Carolyn Parrish was an aberration as a politician, but Americans have their own political cadre who treat of their presidents far more cavalierly than she had.

It truly is a great pity that David Jones has little better to do with his time than pen inane and undiplomatic canards to please his inner imp.