VZCZCXYZ2766
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHOT #0779/01 2791609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061609Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9923
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000779 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON MARR ETRD CA AF
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BEGINS MEETING CANADIAN LEADERS 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Since presentation of credentials on 
October 2, Ambassador has actively engaged top Canadian 
political leaders, including the Prime Minister, to 
underscore the central importance of this highly successful 
bilateral relationship.  He will begin a series of provincial 
travels on October 6.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  In a ceremony at Rideau Hall on October 2, 
Ambassador Jacobson formally presented his credentials to 
Governor General Michaelle Jean, along with new Ambassadors 
from Azerbaijan and Norway and the new Head of Delegation of 
the European Commission.  In her remarks, the Governor 
General praised the close and highly successful relationship 
between Canada and the U.S., built on shared values and 
cultures as well as trade and people-to-people contacts.  She 
underscored that "we build things together."  There was 
extensive and unusual television coverage of the event and 
the Governor General's remarks -- which, officials from the 
Department of Foreign Affairs and International (DFAIT) Trade 
noted, she personally re-wrote -- as well as the Ambassador's 
brief press conference afterward. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Prime Minister Stephen Harper received the 
Ambassador within two hours of the ceremony at Rideau Hall in 
his official office opposite Parliament Hill for a 30 minute 
meeting, joined by his chief of staff and senior foreign and 
defense policy advisor.  There was 
a brief photo opportunity, which received widespread coverage 
in the Canadian media. The PM noted that his government had 
moved the relationship to the strategic level and avoided 
allowing the irritants to dominate.  He commented that 
President Obama,s huge popularity with Canadians makes it 
easier for Canada to work with the United States.  On "Buy 
America," PM Harper said the government is very upset at the 
recent CBC reports and has no idea who talked to CBC or 
whether the CBC reporter simply made the story up.  PM Harper 
and the Ambassador agreed that the issue had a greater 
political impact than economic.  PM Harper said he would very 
much welcome having the President or First Lady attend the 
Winter Olympics, while acknowledging that it is for the U.S. 
Olympic Committee officially to invite the President.  PM 
Harper discussed in some detail climate change issues and the 
upcoming Copenhagen summit.  He said he wants to coordinate 
policies closely with the U.S. and that he is anxious for 
Canada to be part of the U.S. debate over climate change and 
energy security (and equally anxious not to be part of the 
health care debate). 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  In back-to-back meetings at DFAIT on October 5, 
the Ambassador called on Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and 
International Trade Minister Stockwell Day.  FM Cannon 
described bilateral relations as "very warm, friendly, and 
very productive," while underscoring that, with the new 
Administration, the "U.S. had changed the checkerboard," 
enabling all to view the world from a different perspective. 
He praised Secretary Clinton and cited the high respect with 
which she is held by her counterparts.  He encouraged the 
Secretary to visit Ottawa soon, hopefully by the end of this 
year.  He welcomed the Ambassador's plans to travel 
extensively throughout Canada during his first months.  FM 
Cannon raised the Arctic, noting that the subject had also 
come up during PM Harper's recent meeting with the President, 
and cited the Beaufort Sea as an issue to settle as soon as 
Qand cited the Beaufort Sea as an issue to settle as soon as 
possible.  The Ambassador emphasized his willingness to 
facilitate discussions and encouraged the FM to contact him 
at any time.  The FM and Ambassador expressed satisfaction 
over the new architecture for the G-8 and G-20.  The FM also 
reiterated PM Harper's remarks that U.S. security was as 
important to Canadians as to Americans, and promised that 
"whenever the U.S. is attacked, Canada is attacked."  The 
Ambassador praised Canadian support for the U.S. as well as 
its many services and sacrifices, which he described as 
"critically important."  In a separate meeting, Minister Day 
noted the close working relationship that he has with USTR 
Kirk.  The Ambassador emphasized his desire to work together 
with Canada to resolve or lessen some of the trade irritants 
that are a part of our much broader bilateral partnership. 
Day focused briefly on the "Buy America" controversy and 
noted that he was responsible for persuading the Canadian 
municipalities to suspend their planned retaliatory actions. 
Day noted that there had been progress in last week's 
discussions between USTR and Canadian officials.  The 
Ambassador asked Day and his deputies if legislation will be 
necessary for the provinces and municipalities actually to 
join the WTO Government Procurement Agreement.  The response 
was that the need for legislation would vary by province, but 
that all municipalities, under Canadian law, were bound by 
provincial authority. 
¶5.  (SBU)  Also on October 5, the Ambassador met with Public 
Safety Minister Peter Van Loan in his office on Parliament 
Hill.  The Ambassador emphasized, and Minister Van Loan 
concurred, that achieving trade and security is important to 
both governments.  Van Loan made clear that he does not view 
this as a zero sum game, stating that he was looking for a 
legal option that would allow Canada to share information 
with the U.S. to meet the requirements for Secure Flight.  He 
said that investing in a separate but equal system would not 
make financial sense, and that it would be unlikely to meet 
U.S. standards, anyway.  The Ambassador assured Minister Van 
Loan that he likes to find workable solutions ("conclude 
deals," in lawyer-speak) whenever possible.  Van Loan raised 
Canada's strong desire for a unique shared port of entry on 
U.S. soil to replace Canada's Cornwall Island crossing on 
Akwesasne Mohawk territory that has been closed since June 
¶2009.  Van Loan acknowledged that this was a "big ask" and 
that he and DHS Secretary Napolitano would be discussing it 
again in November.  Van Loan also briefly raised "Buy 
America," acknowledging that it had been blown out of 
proportion.  He nonetheless encouraged the Ambassador to do 
all that he could to put the issue to rest, commenting that 
this would be how the Canadian public would measure his first 
year in Ottawa. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Ambassador later met on October 5 with Defence 
Minister Peter MacKay in his Parliamentary office.  The 
Minister and the Ambassador each spoke of the exceptional 
relationship between the U.S. and Canadian militaries, 
calling it the "closest in the world."  With regard to 
Afghanistan, Minister MacKay acknowledged that Canada will be 
wrestling with its role, in part based on decisions made by 
NATO allies and the U.S.  He pointed to the "enablers" made 
available by the U.S. to the Canadian Forces in Kandahar, 
saying that this married-up approach helped make the Canadian 
commitment possible.  The Ambassador recognized the sacrifice 
and bravery of the Canadian Forces and lamented that some 
unnamed NATO allies have not "stepped up" as Canada has.  He 
also expressed a desire to visit U.S. and Canadian Forces in 
Kandahar in order to gain a greater understanding of the 
circumstances on the ground.  The Minister pointed to a major 
security conference that Canada will host in Nova Scotia in 
November, and expressed the hope of using the occasion to 
showcase our close bilateral cooperation, notably, the 
"significant" responsibilities that the U.S. and Canada share 
with regard to the security of North America.  MacKay 
indicated some dissatisfaction that European allies sometimes 
overlook Canada's significant security contributions, both 
throughout the world and in the "home game" of North America. 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  The Ambassador will be in Montreal and Quebec City 
October 6-8 to meet with provincial leaders and business 
people, and will then travel to Alberta, Saskatchewan, and 
Mantiboba October 12-20, before returning to Montreal October 
20-21 for the Canadian American Business Council meeting. 
 
Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
 
JACOBSON