OT: President Obama's visit to Ottawa.

Hi Jim,

What a great story! I saw President Obama's visit to Ottawa on TV. He always looks so happy. I loved it when he came out of the market and stood in the door of the limo waving to the crowds. What a guy!

take care, Linda

He also got a 'beavertail'. His limo stopped on the way back to the airport, and an Secret Service agent asked the folks to make one especially for him. The young lady who made the pastry was able to deliver it to the President in person.

A couple of things. The cooks at the bakery are now working overtime, trying to keep up with orders, which are coming from all over the world.

As to Obama inviting our GG to Washington, he ought to have known better. The GG cannot accept his invitation, without the OK from the Prime Minister. The GG has nothing to do with foreign affairs. This is the prerogative of the Minister for External Affairs. Obama has made things very awkward for our Government, and it will take some fancy footwork to resolve the issue. Jim.

I thought Harper looked like the fifth wheel alongside him, O would be everything Harper is not, even with a blue cashmere sweater lol

"F.James Cripwell" wrote .

Technically sticky, but the GG does travel extensively to other countries to promote Canada, and the current GG has spoken about humanitarian causes while travelling. It would seem simple enough for her to visit Washington, in her official capacity, as part of rebuilding Canada-US relations, and if she were to talk informally with the US President about Haiti, well, surely she has excellent qualifications for doing so. Why would Harper want to do anything but say yes?? I thought the picture of Her Excellency and President Obama very genuinely laughing as they walked down the tarmac was better for relations between the 2 countries than 101 formal press conferences. Dawne

Dawne

I agree. But the protocol was done wrong by Obama. When he was talking to Harper, he should have asked for the GG to visit him in Washington. He should not have asked the GG directly, without bringing the PM into the loop. Jim.

"F.James Cripwell" wrote >

You are right there--I remember one of the radio commentators gasping as he described how Obama strode on ahead of Michael Jean. Not enough briefing time??

Dawne

"Jangchub" wrote

I don't think there is much wrong with honouring the traditions of the place you are visiting. Perhaps Americans prefer less formality--although they have their traditions around the President as well. He doesn't just walk through a side door and say howdy on formal occasions; there is "Hail to the Chief" and protocol. The ceremonial is a way of showing respect to your host (not just the person, but the nation), and being a good guest, which are things I think are important to President Obama, who seems to be a very gracious man. His words in Ottawa were certainly well thought out and designed to rebuild Canadian-American friendship.

Dawne

As an American and normally not a lover of a big fuss being made over anything, I will readily admit that I think the situation with Pres. Obama and the Canadian officials was, to put it bluntly, a royal screw-up on the part of whoever is in charge of protocol.

A certain amount of formality goes a long way and I hope whoever was responsible for this breach of proper protocol was admonished to be way more careful in the future.

They are lucky they were in Canada and not in one of the countries that despises us and would get a tremendous amount of pleasure from any mistake we might make.

Lucille

I recall seeing footage of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the USA a few years ago (I forget who was President at the time). Our Queen is not very tall and the reading desk outside the White House was not lowered sufficiently so she had to look up to read her speech and, from the front, all that could be seen of her was the top of her hat.

Sorry Bruce but in that case I will give a good deal of the credit for the mistake to her side. For many years I worked at a yearly convention and we had to entertain lots of "big shots." A good part of the time they sent their own people to check that all was right with their world and most of the time we were close behind them checking those things. They would often send an advance directive telling us exactly what they thought necessary to make their person comfortable, including what kind of drinks had to be on hand. I'm sure one of her staff should have been in charge of seeing that such things were taken care of before she stood at the podium and I'll bet they were told so afterward..

I presume people realize that one can't blame Obama for this but rather his advisors. As you say, better here and now they have learned a valuable lesson before he goes anywhere else.

That was a Bush blunder and there was another years ago when Regan tried to take her arm to go down some steps. I am sure he regretted it.

I am sure that Betty Windsor had a few words with her staff after that little incident!