November 18, 2009 – St. John’s Newfoundland

November 19th, 2009

I spent Monday evening and Tuesday with the new Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, Arturo Valenzuela. Sec. Valenzuela, a friend from my days in Washington, had been sworn in on Thursday of last week. I was delighted that he chose Canada as the site of his first trip out of the country – following the tradition of President Obama. And as he explained, he came here first for the same reason the President did: because of the strength and importance of the relationship between the United States and Canada. We had a full schedule of meetings with a variety of Canadian officials. Sec. Valenzuela had an opportunity to discuss his priorities for the Western Hemisphere and how the United States and Canada could cooperate in those efforts.

Last night Julie and I had a delightful dinner with former Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his wife Aline. He had wonderful stories of his 10 years as Prime Minister. We also had a chance to talk about Canadian and American politics as well as our mutual love of golf.

This morning it was back on the road. I flew to St. John’s Newfoundland (with a quick stop in Halifax). As soon as I arrived I had a long discussion with Premier Danny Williams about a range of topics. But much of the conversation was about energy and Newfoundland’s plans for additional hydro, as well as their development of wind, oil and gas. Everywhere I go I am reminded of the vast Canadian natural resources and particularly its energy resources.

The Ambassador and Premier Danny Williams of Newfoundland

The Ambassador and Premier Danny Williams of Newfoundland


We then went to Memorial University of Newfoundland where I had a chance to talk with several professors and grad students about their research projects. I was particularly touched with stories about the helping hand extended by the people of St. John’s on September 11 when so many US passengers were stranded here for days. Memorial University played a particular role in that effort. The students put on concerts for the stranded travelers and the faculty gave lectures. Some Americans were so thankful that they have since endowed scholarships at Memorial to show their appreciation.

Next stop was NALCOR, the Crown energy company of Newfoundland. We met with Ed Martin, the CEO, and his team. They amplified the discussion we had with Premier Williams about Newfoundland’s hydro plans as well as their efforts in oil and gas.

Tonight we are off to the Hungry Fisherman Restaurant on the harbor for some local seafood. I must say I’m looking forward to it.
DJ.

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 16, 2009 – Ottawa

November 17th, 2009

Last night I was invited to attend a working session of the Annual Canada-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Meeting hosted by Speaker Peter Milliken of the House and Speaker Noel Kinsella of the Senate. Each year representatives from the legislative branches of each of the three North American countries assemble at three bi-lateral meetings to discuss issues of common concern and this was the latest Canadian-Mexican gathering. It was interesting to me to be able to hear from my Canadian and Mexican friends about the challenges and opportunities in the Mexico-Canada relationship and how the United States – the country between them – fits in to the equation. As I have said on several occasions, it is important to have tri-lateral discussions of North American issues since so many problems must be addressed on a regional basis.

This morning I met with Defense Minister Peter MacKay. We discussed his recent trip to Afghanistan and the progress he saw on the ground. We also had a chance to talk about the work U.S. and Canadian troops do side-by-side, not only in Afghanistan, but also in NORAD, and at posts around the U.S. and Canada.

To give you some sense of the contrasts in my life these days, after meeting with the Defense Minister, Julie and I went to the Ministry of Transportation at City Hall to get our Ontario driver’s licenses and license plates. (Yes, even an Ambassador drives himself sometimes, and he needs a Canadian driver’s license to do so!) In the U.S. many people dread the prospect of going to obtain a driver’s license because they fear long, slow-moving lines. That certainly was not what happened to us in Ottawa, where customer service appears to enjoy a high priority. The staff couldn’t have been nicer to us. And our experience seemed to be similar to that of everyone else who was there. A first class experience!

The Ambassador and Mrs. Jacobson at ServiceOntario

The Ambassador and Mrs. Jacobson at ServiceOntario


Next I am off to Atlantic Canada. I can’t wait for the lobster!

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 13, 2009 — Ottawa

November 16th, 2009

Like many of you in Ottawa, and in other large cities in Canada, I had seen lines of people waiting outside US Embassies or Consulates holding packets of papers. Today I joined the line to find out for myself what people experience when they come to our Embassy for consular services. For U.S. citizens this typically means coming for passports or other documents and for non-Americans it means visas. (Generally, Canadians do not need visas to go to the U.S. So most of our consular work in Canada is for people from third countries who are here in Canada and who need US visas.) Consular services are the aspect of our work that most directly impacts people’s lives.

In responses to my blog, many of you have asked me several questions about our consular services. I wanted to see what “applicants” see. So I became an applicant for the day. I went through the security screen, which is similar to the screening at airports. I saw where people pay the required fees and where they are interviewed by the American consular officers. I even took part in a brief interview myself. Although the consular process is rigorous, the consular staff made every effort to be friendly, efficient, and thorough.

Ambassador Jacobson visiting the Ottawa Embassy's Consular office

Ambassador Jacobson visiting the Ottawa Embassy's Consular office


While I was in the waiting room, I saw several applicants who did not complete the process because they had not followed all of the instructions they received or had not brought with them all the necessary documents. The consular staff has asked me to remind all applicants to carefully follow the instructions they receive and to come prepared with all the information and documents requested. The staff also pointed out that we maintain a special consular services website that contains a wealth of information about passports, visas, and the other consular services that our offices offer:
http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/
I was impressed by the organization of our consular operations. The consular staff process visas for applicants from over 160 countries, allowing thousands of people to visit, study, and work in the U.S. I’m glad we play our part in facilitating the travel between our two countries that is the lifeblood of our relationship.

DJ.

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 11, 2009, Ottawa

November 12th, 2009

This morning — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — I attended the Remembrance Day (in my country, Veterans Day) Ceremonies at the National War Memorial. Although it was a tribute to all the Canadian men and women who have served their country in military uniform, in a way it also honored all those who have fought for the cause of freedom, from the United States and other nations around the world. It was also a sobering and somber reminder of the tragedy of war and the fact that the dead and the wounded are not statistics but people.

I was privileged – along with the ambassadors from many other countries – to lay a wreath on the steps of the war memorial. Each wreath had the country’s name emblazoned across it. It was stirring to see them lined up side-by-side. Some were names of past allies. Some former enemies. But we were all there on a beautiful sunny day paying homage to the fallen no matter which side they were on.

After the ceremony Julie and I attended a lunch given by the Slovenian Ambassador Tomaz Kunstelj in honor of departing Polish Ambassador Piotr Ogrodzinski. Also in attendance were the Ambassadors from Germany and Bulgaria. It gave me great hope that representatives of countries that were once adversaries, but now friends, could enjoy each other’s company on a day like this.

DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 9, 2009 – Ottawa

November 10th, 2009

Today was the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I went to an emotional ceremony at the Government Conference Center in downtown Ottawa. Minister Van Loan talked about how his family fled Communist oppression and came to Canada. Ambassador Witschel of Germany spoke of the joy of unification. And Prime Minister Harper spoke eloquently of the differences between our democratic ideals and those of a system that had to build walls to keep its people from escaping.

The Berlin Wall went up when I was 10 years old. While I didn’t understand the political significance of it at the time, I do remember studying about it in school and feeling very scared. I remember President Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. And Ronald Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” address.

I remember vividly where I was 20 years ago today – watching with amazement as the wall was scaled and then pulled down by tens of thousands of brave Berliners. That gift of freedom took place because of the bravery and the perseverance of people across Europe on both sides of the iron curtain. And it happened because of the support of many others, including the United States and Canada.

But history did not end when the wall came down. We are reminded daily of the new challenges we face in expanding the fight for freedom, promoting our common values, and safeguarding our people.

It was a good day for me and my family to reflect on many of the things we take for granted.

DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 4, 2009 – Meeting Astronauts

November 5th, 2009

This is a fun job! Today I got to meet 5 astronauts who recently flew the NASA Shuttle “Endeavour.” One of the astronauts, Julie Payette, is the chief astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency and joined the NASA crew for this mission. We spoke to a group of 600 students at the Roberta Bondar School in Ottawa (named after the first Canadian female astronaut). Later we met with a group of Embassy families. It is a humbling experience to speak to school kids while they wait to hear from a group of astronauts. I felt a bit like the vegetables at dinner when they stand between my kids and dessert.

Meeting NASA and Canadian Space Agency astronauts

Meeting NASA and Canadian Space Agency astronauts

The Endeavour crew showed us video footage of the shuttle docking with the International Space Station and described the types of scientific experiments they are doing on the station. They talked about the challenges of living and working in space. For example, on earth, if you use a drill to tighten a bolt the bolt spins into the hole. In space, unless you are tied down when you use the drill, you spin around the bolt!

The whole event reminded me of the first time I ever saw a real life astronaut. When I was about 13 years old, a friend and I waited outside City Hall in Chicago for hours hoping to see astronauts from a Gemini mission (yes I’m that old!). We had arrived early and had stationed ourselves on the ropeline. But as time passed, we got pushed further and further from the front. When the astronauts finally came out, I had to careen my neck to see them. Today I had the same excitement I did when I was a boy — but a much better seat.

If anyone doubts our technological genius and our extraordinary ability to cooperate, succeed, and soar beyond, here is your answer.
DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 4, 2009 – Ottawa

November 4th, 2009
President Barack Obama on Election Day, November 4, 2008

President Barack Obama on Election Day, November 4, 2008

Today is a special day for me, for my family, and for the United States. One year ago this evening, I was in Grant Park in Chicago along with hundreds of thousands of others to celebrate Barack Obama’s election as the 44th President of the United States.

The campaign was not always celebrations and huge crowds.  The first meeting I went to in the Obama Campaign offices was attended by four people.  We were in a tiny office with two desks and two chairs.  Two of us sat on the floor.  My biggest contribution that day was that I managed to lose the campaign’s only key to the men’s room down the hall. Somehow — we were able to recover from that setback.

I was fortunate enough to watch history unfold before me over the course of two years.  In the snow covered fields of Iowa and New Hampshire.  In the inner cities of Cleveland and Pittsburg.  On the farms in South Carolina and Minnesota.  And in so many other places.

When people ask me what it was like to be a part of the campaign I am always at a loss for words.  Rarely do you get to participate in something like this.  It was a campaign that became a movement.  I was swept up by that movement and carried forward by it.  When I later heard about all the Canadians who had spent their vacations or school holidays in the U.S. volunteering with the same movement, I was truly touched, just as I was when I heard about the many Canadians who traveled to Washington last January to personally witness the President’s truly historic inauguration.

Ambassador Jacobson on the Campaign Trail in 2008

Ambassador Jacobson on the Campaign Trail in 2008


On that night one year ago in Grant Park the President said it best – as he always does:

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer….

“It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America….

“The road ahead will be long.  Our climb will be steep.  We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there….

“To all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.”

The President finished with three words which are an American Creed: “YES WE CAN!”

DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |

October 29, 2009 – Toronto

October 30th, 2009

Yesterday we drove from Banff to Calgary (beautiful) and then flew to Toronto (long). After attending a meeting with Toronto business leaders, the Consul General in Toronto, Kevin Johnson, and I went to the opening night game between the Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James and his new teammate Shaq. We were joined by former Canadian Ambassador to the US Frank McKenna and Rob Prichard, the President of Metrolinx and the former President of the University of Toronto. As you have probably seen, the Raptors won a great game that was closer than the 10 point score at the end. It was great fun. The Air Canada Center was rocking. Reminded me of the glory days of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

This morning we met with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, David Onley. I had a very interesting discussion with the Lieutenant Governor, who is a champion of disability rights issues, about the comparison in the laws and attitudes toward people with disabilities in the US and Canada. I shared stories with him about my relationship with a dear friend in the White House who was himself disabled and who taught me a great deal about the issues faced by people with disabilities.

I then went off to the Economic Club of Canada where I gave a speech about the state of the relationship between the United States and Canada. Before the speech, I had a chance to visit with Mayor Vic Fedeli of North Bay, Ontario – who was sporting his traditional non-partisan yellow tie — and Mayor Rick Bonnette of Halton Hills, Ontario. Both mayors have been active in reaching across the border to their counterparts in US cities and towns to discuss the impacts of Buy America on their economies. We had good and cordial discussions of the issue. I explained to both that the President is a firm believer in free trade. I was pleased we were able to meet.

I then had an opportunity to meet with Premier McGuinty of Ontario. We discussed a variety of issues which impact on Ontario. And we traded stories about our first car trips across the border. The Premier has a hilarious story about how his parents took their eight kids (two more were subsequently born) in the station wagon and drove to Florida. By mistake they left the Premier’s four year old brother at a gas station after a rest stop. The Premier noted that had there been a democratic vote among the remaining kids in the car, they might have continued on to Florida. However, his father reasserted control and went back. The Premier’s fondness for the people of the United States was sealed when he saw that two kind-hearted gas station attendants had taken such good care of his little brother “who was no worse for wear.” I told him about my trip with my family from Chicago to Niagara Falls when my dad stopped the car on the line on the Ambassador Bridge.

Last night I was privileged to present three awards to Dr. Richard Losick, Dr. Lucy Shapiro and Dr. Peter Walter at the 50th annual Gairdner Awards dinner. Dr. John Dirks, the President of the Gairdner Foundation explained that 69 of the former Gairdner award winners had subsequently received Nobel Prizes. To celebrate the 50th anniversary many of the past awardees were in the room. Dr. Dirks noted that it was perhaps the greatest collection of scientific minds in a single room in the history of Canada. I can assure you he was not looking my way when he said that!
DJ

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Posted in October 2009 |

October 26, 2009 – Edmonton – More oil sands; a trip to school and the opening of the Alberta Legislative Assembly

October 27th, 2009

As part of my effort to learn as much as I can and to hear from all sides about the oil sands I met with representatives of the Pembina Institute, an environmental NGO that has spent many years focused on the oil sands. We had an interesting discussion about the regulatory processes in Alberta and at the federal level. We talked about the stress on the environment as well as the state of the technology being employed to extract the bitumen. Striking the right balance between energy security and the environment is a complex issue and I am listening to all sides with great interest.

We then went to the highlight of the day. Julie and I visited the Prince Charles Elementary School, a school of choice for Aboriginal children in Edmonton. This is a school that offers a program especially designed for urban Aboriginal children. Many students travel a couple of hours or more a day just to attend this school. I visited with a group of 5th and 6th graders in the school library. They had studied all about Barack Obama and the U.S. election with the librarian who is from Louisiana. The kids and I talked about my experiences with the President. I explained that if anyone had said to Barack Obama in the 5th or 6th grade that some day he would be living in the White House he wouldn’t have believed it. So it was important for each of them to be like the President, study hard and be good citizens. Who knows … maybe someday one of them would be the Prime Minister of Canada. We then went to the music room where another group of 4th 5th and 6th graders gave a concert on violin and guitar for Julie and me. The highlight was a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. It was great fun and it reminded me of how important art and music were to my elementary education. Even though I’m not an artist or a musician, it made me more creative in everything else I do and it sure made school more fun.

Ambassador Jacobson with with Grade 5-6 students from Prince Charles Elementary School

Ambassador Jacobson with Grade 5-6 students from Prince Charles Elementary School

We left the school and drove to the Legislature Building and met with Ken Kowalski, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Rob Renner, the Minister of the Environment, Mel Knight, the Minister of Energy, and Len Webber, the Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations. Afterwards, Minister Webber and his wife Heather hosted a lunch with a group of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and business leaders. I then had a chance to watch the opening of the new legislative session. There is a special tradition in the Alberta legislature. When someone in the gallery (in this case me) is introduced, the person making the introduction asks the Speaker and the MLAs to give “the traditional warm welcome” at which point all members pound on their desks. It was a real treat.

Ambassador Jacobson and Premier Stelmach

Ambassador Jacobson and Premier Stelmach

I then had a great conversation with Premier Stelmach. While we spent a good chunk of our time discussing the issues of the day: energy and the environment, trade, intergovernmental relations, etc. we also compared our family histories. Each of us had ancestors who came to North America from Europe around the turn of the 20th century. The Premier’s family settled on a farm in Alberta. Mine came to Chicago. Both had nothing except a hope for a better life. We both took pride in how those brave and industrious souls would have felt in seeing us in our respective positions.

We finished the day with a dinner hosted by the leaders of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce where I learned more about the city and its business climate. Tomorrow it’s off to Banff. It’s supposed to snow!!! DJ

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Posted in October 2009 |

Thanks for the mail

October 26th, 2009

I continue to receive many positive responses to my blog and although I can’t respond to each and every one of you who have taken the time to write, I would like to again say how delighted I am to hear from you. Julie and I would like to meet and get to know as many Canadians as possible while we are here; I see this blog as a good start in that direction. So thank you for your congratulations and your best wishes, for sharing your concerns, and for your suggestions about where I should visit, which blogs I should read, and even about winter wear! You are teaching me little by little more about Canada and what it is that Canadians care about.

One of the concerns some of you have shared with me is on wait times for visas. We are aware of and sensitive to the issue. For specific questions related to consular matters, though, your first stop for information is our website: www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov.

Finally, Stuart, it was nice meeting you too. I’ll be following progress with the museum with great interest. And Richard, I promise we are listening to Canadian concerns. Thank you for the book recommendations, I will have to check those out. DJ

Posted in October 2009 |

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