www.theglobeandmail.com
February 6, 2008
Jane Taber
By this time next year, one of Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John McCain will be president of the United States. Who do they know here? What do they know about Canada? Who is informing them of Canada and its issues?
It's certainly not anyone in the PMO. The Prime Minister's communications director, Sandra Buckler, said "there are no connections or relationships with any presidential hopeful."
So far, it seems that the attachments the three front-runners have to Canada are through former U.S. ambassadors or friends of friends of friends. And in the case of Mr. Obama, the Democratic senator from Illinois, there is the young man from Edmonton who showed up at his Las Vegas headquarters in August to volunteer and was recently promoted to media advanceman for his national campaign.
So here are the six degrees of separation of the senatorial troika:
Mr. Obama's executive assistant, Marvin Nicholson, is a Toronto native who went to high school in Victoria. The media advanceman who volunteered in Vegas is Ryan Adam, a 26-year-old Liberal who worked on Parliament Hill for Joe Volpe, a former Paul Martin cabinet minister, and for Scott Brison, when the Nova Scotia MP ran for the Liberal leadership.
There is also the Michael Ignatieff connection. The deputy Liberal leader was recruited to Harvard University's Carr Centre of Human Rights Policy by lawyer, journalist and human-rights activist Samantha Power.
A Pulitizer Prize winner, Ms. Power had worked on the senator's staff in Washington and now is an adviser to him. She is also a friend of Mr. Ignatieff, who is an Obama fan.
"He likes the Obama message," a senior Ignatieff adviser said. "As someone who campaigned on change ... it is no surprise MI is pulling for Barack."
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion has met former U.S. president Bill Clinton twice but has not met his wife, Hillary, who is running for the Democratic nomination. But Gordon Giffin, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada, who is Ms. Clinton's finance co-chair, notes that Mr. Clinton is probably his wife's top adviser on everything, including Canada.
The former president is well connected in Canada. He enjoys a close friendship with former prime minister Jean Chrétien, with whom he speaks at least once a month. As well, Mr. Clinton is friendly with Frank McKenna, the former New Brunswick premier and Canadian ambassador to Washington, and Liberal MP Belinda Stronach.
But for issues relating to trade with Canada, border issues and the war in Afghanistan, Ms. Clinton would likely look to Mr. Giffin and another former ambassador to Canada, James Blanchard, who was her co-chair for the Michigan primary.
Mr. Blanchard said that Ms. Clinton is well informed about Canada, having visited this country during her husband's presidency. As a teenager, she and her family drove the entire length of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Republican front-runner John McCain is best friends with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who in turn is close friends with the current U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins. Mr. Wilkins's predecessor, Paul Cellucci, recently joined the McCain campaign. He said the candidate would come to him for advice on issues relating to Canada, noting that Mr. McCain is a big free-trader and is also aware of Canada's military contribution in Afghanistan.
Mr. Giffin said that when he was ambassador, Mr. McCain visited Canada as former chairman of the U.S. Senate committee on commerce. Mr. Giffin said that he was acquainted with the Asper family, because of their interests in broadcasting