McKenna tells Canadians to stop being smug when dealing with U.S
Canadian Press
Saturday, June 04, 2005
OTTAWA (CP) - Frank McKenna, Canada's tough-talking ambassador to the U.S., has some advice for Canadians dealing with their powerful neighbours to the south - stop being smug and take the chip off your shoulders.
Americans are offended when Canadians attack them and endlessly moralize about what they should be doing differently, he said Friday.
"In short, a self-righteousness that isn't very flattering," McKenna told The Canadian Press annual dinner, a gathering of journalists and power-brokers.
McKenna, fresh from media tours in the U.S. where he tried to correct false American impressions of Canada, turned the table on his Canadian audience, calling on them to have a better understanding of Americans.
The world changed dramatically for Americans on Sept. 11, and dealing with the shock and fear of the next attack "trumps all other issues and all other relationships," he said.
"As Canadians, we intellectually acknowledge this reality, but we do not comprehend the full depth of the emotional scarring caused by that extraordinary event."
"It has changed America. Americans are consumed with the need to protect their physical security and economic security."
McKenna said that Ottawa's increase in spending for the military and foreign aid budgets have been well-received in Washington.Traditional diplomatic fights such as softwood lumber and BSE remain.
But fear of terrorist attacks is behind the latest diplomatic spat.
The recent move by Americans to have all foreign carriers register their passenger lists if they fly over the U.S. is causing trouble around the world.
Americans are also preoccupied with social security reform, soaring oil prices and being reliant on external markets for the majority of its supplies.
The growing economic might of China has given rise to an increase in protectionist rhetoric in the U.S., he added.
"Although Americans respect us and like us, they do not think about us very much," he conceded.
To raise Canada's profile, McKenna is looking to support from a fifth column - "the Canadian diaspora."
There are up to three million expatriate Canadians living in the U.S. and McKenna said he's looking to marshal them so they can help Ottawa on issues of importance to Canada.
Canadian Press
Saturday, June 04, 2005
OTTAWA (CP) - Frank McKenna, Canada's tough-talking ambassador to the U.S., has some advice for Canadians dealing with their powerful neighbours to the south - stop being smug and take the chip off your shoulders.
Americans are offended when Canadians attack them and endlessly moralize about what they should be doing differently, he said Friday.
"In short, a self-righteousness that isn't very flattering," McKenna told The Canadian Press annual dinner, a gathering of journalists and power-brokers.
McKenna, fresh from media tours in the U.S. where he tried to correct false American impressions of Canada, turned the table on his Canadian audience, calling on them to have a better understanding of Americans.
The world changed dramatically for Americans on Sept. 11, and dealing with the shock and fear of the next attack "trumps all other issues and all other relationships," he said.
"As Canadians, we intellectually acknowledge this reality, but we do not comprehend the full depth of the emotional scarring caused by that extraordinary event."
"It has changed America. Americans are consumed with the need to protect their physical security and economic security."
McKenna said that Ottawa's increase in spending for the military and foreign aid budgets have been well-received in Washington.Traditional diplomatic fights such as softwood lumber and BSE remain.
But fear of terrorist attacks is behind the latest diplomatic spat.
The recent move by Americans to have all foreign carriers register their passenger lists if they fly over the U.S. is causing trouble around the world.
Americans are also preoccupied with social security reform, soaring oil prices and being reliant on external markets for the majority of its supplies.
The growing economic might of China has given rise to an increase in protectionist rhetoric in the U.S., he added.
"Although Americans respect us and like us, they do not think about us very much," he conceded.
To raise Canada's profile, McKenna is looking to support from a fifth column - "the Canadian diaspora."
There are up to three million expatriate Canadians living in the U.S. and McKenna said he's looking to marshal them so they can help Ottawa on issues of importance to Canada.
