From May 4th to May 7th the IRF ’16s took their first international trip to Ottawa, Canada. The trip was chaperoned by Norfolk Academy faculty members David Rezelman, Bernie McMahon, and Lisa Marie Priddy. Canada was at once familiar and different. The friendship and shared values between the United States and Canada made for a fascinating demonstration that there is more than one way for a democracy to implement its foreign policy. The IR Fellows came away from their visit to Canada especially with a sense of the vital differences between a parliamentary-style democracy and the American system. Our access in Ottawa was increased tremendously by the extremely generous assistance provided by Howard Mains, Co-President of the Tactix Government Relations and Public Affairs firm.
Arrival in Ottawa.
Our first day in Canada we visited the Canadian War Museum. Joining us was Renée Filiatrault, who had served with NATO forces in Afghanistan during the war. She shared insights gathered from extensive experiences working with numerous NATO militaries, and even showed us where personal items of hers were on display in the museum!
Ms. Filiatrault with the ’16s.
That evening we posed in front of the Canadian War Memorial (site of the later tragic terrorist murder of a Canadian honor guard soldier in October 2014). Visible in the distance is the legendary Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel.
The ’17s in front of the Canadian War Memorial (with the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in the background).
That evening we gathered in front of Parliament’s Centre Block to eat poutine and watch a patriotic Canadian laser-light show. The poutine was a particular hit with the ’16s.
Centre Block lit up as part of the evening’s patriotic display.
The following morning we visited St. Patrick’s Basilica, which has served Ottawa’s Catholic community since 1875, which was followed by the ceremonial Changing of the Guard on Parliamentary Hill.
Mr. McMahon, Dr. Rezelman, and the ’17s in front of St. Patrick’s Basilica.
Thomas Ferguson and Pablo Vazquez observe the Changing of the Guard.
Sophie Kidd, Jessica Williams, and Hannah Wheaton observe the Changing of the Guard.
This was followed by a cruise on the Ottawa River and a tour of the Canadian Museum of Civilization (adding, in the process, Quebec to our list of provinces visited).
A view of the back of Parliament Hill from the Ottawa River.
The Canadian Museum of Civilization (from the Ottawa River).
Born as they were in the late 1990s, the students were especially fascinated by the recreation of an actual airport terminal from the 1970s (complete with rotary phones!). The chaperones had to explain how the phones worked.
1970s historical artifacts.
The following morning was spent in a series of meetings with government officials within the heart of Canada’s Parliament: Centre Block. Through the good offices of Mr. Mains, joining us were Ms. Jolène Savoie, who compared the Canadian and American legislative systems; Mr. Steven Chaplin, the Principal Parliamentary Counsel; Mr. Jeremy LeBlanc, who works for the U.S.-Canadian Interparliamentary Group; and conversations with two student pages (Karen Yao and David Gakwerere).
The ’16s in a meeting in Centre Block.
Following these meetings, we were treated to a VIP tour of Centre Block. We had to wait for the “regular” tour to pass before our VIP guide would permit each student to take his or her turn in the Speaker’s Chair.
Everyone behind the Speaker’s Chair in the Canadian House of Commons.
After a delightful outdoor lunch overlooking the Ottawa River, we visited Ms. Allison Abraszko and several of her Foreign Service Officer colleagues at the U.S. Embassy. It was fascinating to hear the of the unique challenges posed to U.S. diplomats posted to a nation with such close ties to the United States. Following our embassy visit, we were given a VIP tour of the Canadian Supreme Court, where we experienced, among other things, a mock trial in one of the main federal Canadian appeals courtrooms.
The highlight of the day, however, was when Mr. Mains hosted us for dinner. Seeing famous buildings and meeting influential individuals is a treat, no doubt, but the most important opportunities are always those where we get to build personal relationships and exchange views in a relaxed, private environment.
The following morning began with a visit at Tactix Headquarters with Mr. Shimon Fogel of The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
The ’16s meeting at Tactix Headquarters with Shimon Fogel of the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
This was followed by meetings with journalists at two Ottawa newspapers. At The Hill Times, a small insider politics publication, we met with its publisher, Ms. Anne Marie Creskey. This was followed by a meeting with Mr. Barrie McKenna, an economics correspondent at one of Canada’s largest newspapers: The Globe and Mail. While there we also paid a visit to the Ottawa headquarters and on-air studio for Canadian Television (CTV).
Everyone seated at the Canadian Television news desk (with Centre Block as its backdrop).
Our visit to Canada concluded with a visit to “the Canadian Pentagon.” At the headquarters of the Department of National Defence we visited with Ms. Sarah Lichty, a Policy Officer in the Western Hemisphere Policy Directorate. We were treated to a fascinating discussion of the history of U.S.-Canadian military cooperation, a subject of special interest to Dr. Rezelman dating back to his graduate school research on joint U.S.-Canadian “continental defense” of North American from Soviet nuclear attack during the 1950s.
After four days we were exhausted, but we were also left with an even greater appreciation of the critical role Canada plays as an international partner, and (according to polling data) as America’s best friend.
