On getting things done

Macleans discusses former Canadian ambassador to the U.S.A. Allan Gotleib and his eminently sensible strategy on how to actually get things done in the States:

Gotlieb also pressed for using U.S. business groups to lobby lawmakers, a practice that has been crucial to managing the border issue: "No one cares a farthing if a foreign country comes whining at the door," he says. "They do worry, however, if their own special interests whine. So to fight uranium import controls, alert the power utilities who will have to pay higher prices and urge them to lobby. To fight duties on subway cars, get the municipalities to squeal. To fight gas import controls, get the consumers to complain. They are worth 10 ambassadorial calls."

Needless to say, Gotleib's strategy couldn't be any further from that adopted by the Cons on the two key issues with the U.S. to date. Instead, PMS' desire to cede control to nobody besides Bush himself has led Harper to ignore the possibilities for cooperation on softwood lumber and border security - in the latter case even with a ready-made coalition seeking the same result.

Fortunately, Canada will soon have a chance to match the U.S.' recent decision to put the relative grown-ups in charge. Which should signal a return to U.S. relations based on interests shared on both sides of the border, rather than Harper's determination to go it alone.

(Edit: typo.)