QUEBEC (CP) -- The new U.S. ambassador to Canada can't understand the fuss about the security fence at the Summit of the Americas or the outrage over the federal leash being kept on Quebec Premier Bernard Landry.

Paul Cellucci made his first splash as U.S. President George W. Bush's representative to Ottawa on Friday, and it was clear the straight-shooting former governor of Massachusetts has only begun to learn to speak in the tempered tones of international diplomacy.

The longtime Bush family friend seemed to be picking his way through verbal minefields Friday during several initial encounters with Canadian reporters on the first day of the three-day summit.

He dodged some questions with a claim of not yet being fully briefed on issues. He provided stock answers to others that came straight from the State Department briefing bibles.

But he gave some hints of the bluntness that made him a popular Republican governor in a state with a rich tradition of electing nothing but Democrats.

He shrugged off the outrage expressed by some about the three-metre-high security fence that has been clamped shut around Quebec's old city for the summit.

"It doesn't trouble me," Cellucci said while seated in a sumptuously appointed room in the U.S. consulate. A spectacular fence-free view of the St. Lawrence River served as a backdrop.

"They've closed the street in front of the White House. I don't see much difference. I think the Canadians are doing a good job."

Cellucci had little sympathy for the plight of Landry, who was denied the right to be a full-fledged participant at the meeting.

Federal ministers have said the leader of Quebec's independence movement can't be trusted to behave and have gone so far as to prevent him from greeting incoming hemispheric as they arrive in his backyard.

Nothing wrong with that, said Cellucci.

Cellucci sees his biggest challenge in Ottawa as securing access to Canadian energy for his fuel-starved compatriots in California and several other states threatened with sputtering air conditioners this summer.

"That's a priority," he said. "New England really benefited from the Sable Island gas this winter."

As a personal friend of the U.S. president, Cellucci could also serve as a bridge between Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Bush as they determine the nature of their working relationship.

"I think it's one of the reasons he asked me up here.

http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSQuebecSummit01/0420_summitamb-cp.html

-- Anonymous, April 21, 2001

Answers

Summit rioting rages

Chretien, host of the third summit meeting of hemispheric countries, said democracies face a "crisis of legitimacy and relevancy."
"Declining voter turnout at election time is but one indication," said Chretien, whose election last fall attracted just 63 per cent of eligible voters

http://www.canoe.ca/Canoe/canoecnews.html

Wonder what Chretien means by this?? If he means that the politicians don't reflect the will of the people, i would certainly agree

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2001

I can't think of one major democracy that hasn't had at least one big political scandal in the last few years. Whether it be influence-peddling, general corruption, sexually immoral behavior (by the standards of a vast majority), lying, hypocrosy, or a combination of all those things (as in Clinton's case), people are disillusioned by their clay-footed politicians. We don't mind a mistake in judgment now and then, when the problem isn't at all clear-cut, but we do mind blatant and rampant dishonesty.

I keep reading (and posting a few) articles about how people are surprised by George Bush. For instance, the remark is frequently made: "He doesn't keep us waiting--he's on time!" Imagine that! The simple, basic courtesy of punctuality has come to be a widely remarked surprise instead of an unremarked general characteristic I am absolutely furious when someone is late for an appointment and has no good reason. It says, loudly and clearly, "My time is much more important than yours (aristocratic sniff masked by fine silk hankie)."

When I was dating I had very simple rules: You turn up within 15 minutes of the appointed time or you find nobody home when you do decide to turn up. (This philosophy is based on the premise that there is nowhere in these United States, with the possible exception of Death Valley, more than five minutes from a phone to warn of a late arrival.) And if you stand me up completely, you had better be in heaven and God is only just now letting you call to explain, or you can go to hell.

Am I digressing? Maybe. But I don't think so. Respect for others is based on how much others show respect for you, otherwise, your support for a person is based on fear or some values so screwed up I don't want to imagine. I don't think anyone supported Clinton for the extent of his respect for the average voter.

Yeah, sure, nobody is perfect and we don't expect our leaders to be. But we expect them to be a bit more perfect than ourselves. If they don't have the necessary willpower and strength of character to keep their pants zipped or their hands out of the till or off the furniture, then they don't have the right amount of character to lead us. This is what we're disillusioned by, more than anything and we quite voting because it makes no difference.

I'll put my reinforced soapbox away now.

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2001