Diplomacy: not dead just yet

The U.S.' new ambassador to Canada is starting off his term with a great idea:

Keenly aware of his reputation for knowing little about Canada, a country he visited just once in the 1970s, Mr. Wilkins is steering clear for now.

“Listen — that's what I plan to do initially,” he said in a recent interview. “I plan to travel extensively and meet as many Canadians as possible. Then we'll formulate specific strategies.”...

“Everything I've learned just reinforces the fact that I'm honoured to be going to Canada,” said Mr. Wilkins, who was sworn in at the State Department last week. “The more I learn, the more I'm impressed with it.”

Not such a bad combination from the early returns - self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to listen. As long as Wilkins is operating along these lines, we should be more than willing to reciprocate.