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Frank McKenna

anti-american Canadian ambassador tenders resignation

By Judi McLeod
Thursday, January 26, 2006

a black cloud was lifted off Canadian-american relations yesterday: Frank McKenna, anti-american Canadian ambassador to the United States announced his resignation.

McKenna, in the diplomatic post for less than a year, was a harsh critic of the U.S. ever since his arrival in Washington.

One month into the job, he fired off a letter to Newt Gingrich for his reference on Hannity & Colmes regarding terrorists crossing over the border from Canada into the U.S.

Only last October, McKenna stunned a Toronto audience when he called the U.S. government "dysfunctional".

Prime Minister Paul Martin, whose government went down to defeat in Monday's 2006 federal election, had handpicked McKenna, a former New Brunswick premier, for the post.

The rookie ambassador's letter of resignation ignited hope for Conservative Canadians in the face of media and politician emphasis that the newly-elected Tories would flounder in their minority government.

"a fragile minority!" was the front-page headline of the Liberal Toronto Star on the day after election.

Toronto socialist mayor David Miller has been hitting the post-election airwaves with a reminder for Prime Minister-designate Stephen Harper that the City of Toronto had remained mostly Liberal and the only thing new were the three elected New Democrat Party MPs. Liberal Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty echoed Miller's reminder.

But in spite of media and political hype in "progressive" Toronto, the Liberals have taken a national drubbing.

Outgoing Prime Minister Paul Martin announced on Election Night that he would be stepping down.

Twenty-five election Liberal casualties included 10 cabinet ministers, some of whom were among the prime minister's closest confidantes.

Indeed, Martin's deputy Prime Minister anne McLellan was voted out of office by her constituents.

That the unabashedly anti-american McKenna tendered his resignation two days after the election was cause for celebration among those longing for winds of change.

McKenna had called Harper only hours after the Conservative leader won his minority victory.

It would be impossible for a Liberal political appointee to work closely with a Conservative prime minister, McKenna conceded.

"I believe you would agree that the enormous value of a political appointment to this position is based on the ability to work closely with a Conservative government," McKenna wrote in his letter of resignation.

"It is this perception of closeness that provides a strong platform for the Canadian ambassador to advance Canada's interest.

"While I would have no difficulty working with you or your government, it would be virtually impossible to establish the appearance of total confidence and support in a jurisdiction where political ambassadorial appointees traditionally resign immediately after an election."

It's a departure that closes a door on official anti-american diplomacy.

Since election night, Canada Free Press has been the recipient of dozens of letters from americans indicating that relations between Canada and the U.S. are bound to improve under a Conservative government.

For many Canadians the departure of the anti-american ambassador is almost as encouraging as the election of a Conservative government after 12 years of Liberal leadership.

Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com


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