Archive for the ‘November 2009’ Category

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November 29, 2009 – Calgary

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Today I had a very special treat. I got up early and flew to Calgary to watch the Grey Cup. Having brushed up on the rules differences between Canadian and American Football, I arrived for the CFL Commissioner’s Lunch.

The Commissioner, Mark Cohon, is originally from Chicago. Turns out we have a number of friends in common. At the lunch I got to sit with Premier Stelmach of Alberta and his wife Marie. Also at our table was the Lt. Governor of Alberta Norman Kwong and his wife Mary. For those of you who do not know, the Lt. Governor is a CFL legend. He won a Grey Cup playing for the Calgary Stampeders. He was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos where he won three more Grey Cups before being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Commissioner Cohon referred to Lt. Gov. Kwong as “the only person who is truly loved by people in both Calgary and Edmonton.” We were also joined by Utah Governor Gary Herbert. While he is certainly prominent in his own right, today his daughter Kimberli stole the show. She is married to Montreal Allouettes star Ben Cahoon.

We then headed to the game. I have been to one Super Bowl – back in 1986 when my Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10. It was – without question – the highlight of my Chicago sports career and will remain so until the Cubs win the World Series – at which point I will die a happy man.

The game was great fun. The fans were REALLY into it. Particularly the ones from Saskatchewan.

You have all, no doubt, seen what happened. I will say this. As a Cubs fan I have seen my teams lose in every conceivable fashion. Errors at crucial times. Fan interference. Inclement weather. Freak injuries. Billy goats. But never have I seen anything like what happened to the Roughriders. Too many men on the field. Ugh!!!

So I would like to extend my hearty congratulations to the Montreal Alouettes for a job well done. But my heritage as a Cubs fan gives me special empathy for the Roughriders in their heartbreak. Keep your chins up, and as I have said so many times before – wait til next year.

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 28, 2009 – Ottawa

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Spent a great American Thanksgiving weekend. Hard not to love a holiday that is dedicated to family, eating, and football. Did plenty of all three.

My kids visited us in Ottawa. They are having fun getting used to the new house. My daughter’s dog Max thinks he has gone to dog heaven. Lots of chairs to sleep on. A big yard. Too many treats. We also had a visit from my sister and her family. In addition to eating and football we took them on tours of Ottawa: Byward Market, Rideau Hall, Parliament Hill, etc. They loved it. My sister’s husband and his family are from Louisiana where the tradition is that Thanksgiving turkeys are deep fried with lots of Cajun spices. To make sure we partook adequately of the tradition, they fried us three turkeys. Fortunately we had the Marines over for dinner. So nothing went to waste.

Thanksgiving – in Canada and the US – is a time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for. For my family and me we have so much – our heath, our happiness, and the chance to represent our country here in Canada. It is also a time to think about those who are less fortunate. As usual, President Obama said it best in his Thanksgiving message:

“[Thanksgiving] is a day to remember those who cannot sit down to break bread with those they love.
The soldier overseas holding down a lonely post and missing his kids. The sailor who left her home to serve a higher calling. The folks who must spend tomorrow apart from their families to work a second job, so they can keep food on the table or send a child to school.
We are grateful beyond words for the service and hard work of so many Americans who make our country great through their sacrifice. And this year, we know that far too many face a daily struggle that puts the comfort and security we all deserve painfully out of reach.
So when we gather [on Thanksgiving], let us also use the occasion to renew our commitment to building a more peaceful and prosperous future that every American family can enjoy.’
DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 23, 2009 – Fredericton, New Brunswick

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Well, I asked for it. Yesterday and today we drove 1200 KM around Atlantic Canada. We started in Halifax, drove to Charlottetown on P.E.I., drove to Fredericton in New Brunswick, drove to Calais, Maine, and then drove back to Fredericton. I have definitely seen a lot of the Atlantic Provinces on the ground. While my staff may be ready to kill me, I had a blast and I got a good – if a little hectic – sense of the place.

Last night the U.S. Consul General and I had dinner with Premier Shawn Graham and his wife Roxanne. Roxanne lived in Japan for 9 years. She made us a GREAT Japanese dinner. I kept thinking of my friend John Roos who is the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. If he’s eating like this every night he will come home weighing 300 pounds. We had a good discussion about the Hydro-Quebec/New Brunswick Power deal. I have now heard about it from the perspectives of the Premiers of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Premier Graham and I also discussed the long running disagreement between the U.S. and Canada about the right of passage through Head Harbor for tankers at a proposed LNG facility in Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine. Lively night.

The Ambassador at dinner with Premier Graham of New Brunswick and his wife Roxanne Reeves

The Ambassador at dinner with Premier Graham of New Brunswick and his wife Roxanne Reeves


This morning we got up early to drive to Calais, Maine, for the dedication of a new state of the art border crossing facility which has been under discussion since the 1970s. The drive was magnificent. Rolling hills. Fast moving rivers. And millions of beautiful pine trees that were covered in frost. It looked like the front of a Christmas card.

Among the people who attended the dedication at Calais were Senator Collins and Congressman Michaud. As I said in my remarks, I do not believe we have to make the false choice between border security and convenience. If we are smart, if our two countries cooperate, and if we invest in the necessary infrastructure, we can have both.

Many of the border facilities predate World War II. For example, the two existing crossings between Calais, Maine and St. Stephen, New Brunswick were built early in the 20th century. Those old facilities are simply not designed to deal with the challenges we face today. Investments in infrastructure and technology on both sides of the boarder – like the new facility at Calais – are what we need in order to protect our countries without impeding the free flow of law abiding people and safe goods.

Ambassador Jacobson at the ribbon cutting for the new border crossing in Calais, Maine

Ambassador Jacobson at the ribbon cutting for the new border crossing in Calais, Maine


I also can’t let pass the opportunity to give praise to Emily Ginn. She is a Junior at Calais High School and she gave a stirring a cappella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

While we were at the border, we had a chance to stop by the Ganong Brothers Chocolate Factory in St. Stephen. I loaded up with their signature ‘chicken bones’ and more than my share of chocolate creams. Thanksgiving is starting early for me.

Ambassador Jacobson at the the Ganong Chocolate Factory Store in St. Stephen, New Brunswick

Ambassador Jacobson at the the Ganong Chocolate Factory Store in St. Stephen, New Brunswick


After we returned to Fredericton we were treated to a private tour of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly Building. And we had a chance to meet the Speaker, Hon. Roy Boudreau. There was a special moment when we arrived. Flying on the flagpole in front of the building was the Stars and Stripes! I was moved by this kind gesture toward my country.

Then it was off to meet with the new Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Gaydon Nicholas. He was the first Aboriginal person to receive a law degree in Atlantic Canada, graduating in 1971. Prior to his appointment, he served for 18 years as a provincial judge. We had an interesting discussion of the challenges as well as the opportunities that confront First Nations and aboriginal people in Canada. We also talked about cooperation between communities in Canada and the U.S.

I am now off to Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Canadian Minister of Public Safety Peter Van Loan to talk about cooperative efforts in securing North America.

Fortunately, I’m not going to Washington by car!!!
DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |

November 22, 2009 – Atlantic Canada

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

The last three days have been very busy traversing the Atlantic Provinces. On Thursday after a meeting at the Newfoundland Department of Natural Resources we spent the morning taking a tour of St. John’s. The highlight was Signal Hill which is the place where Marconi received the first wireless signal from Europe. While that’s pretty special, the thing that I will remember most about the place is how windy it was. I come from the Windy City and I have never seen anything quite like Signal Hill. I took some pictures of the beautiful scenery but I could barely stand up and it was impossible to keep the camera steady.

The Consul General , Anton Smith and I had lunch with Mayor Dennis O’Keefe and a group of civic leaders from St. John’s where we discussed energy, local politics and local history.

Ambassador Jacobson with Mayor Dennis O'Keefe of St. John's, Newfoundland

Ambassador Jacobson with Mayor Dennis O'Keefe of St. John's, Newfoundland


Afterward we flew from St. John’s to Halifax for a major international security conference put on by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. But before we left the airport in Halifax we got a tour of the U.S. border preclearance facilities which make it much easier for travelers from both the United States and Canada to fly across the border.

In preparation for the conference, a large number of political and military leaders were streaming in to Halifax from around the world. One of them was U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. I met him at the foot of his plane. It was a thrill to see a big blue and white plane pull up that says “United States of America” across the fuselage.

On Friday morning I attended a meeting between Secretary Gates and his Canadian counterpart, Defense Minister Peter MacKay at the Citadel in Halifax. It was explained to us that the Citadel, which was built in 1749 ended up costing twice its budget. And by the time it was completed, military technology had advanced to the point where it was indefensible. All of the senior military figures in attendance got a kick out of that one.

After the meeting we all headed for the opening of the International Security Forum and speeches by both Minister MacKay and Secretary Gates. Then we launched in to two days of panel discussions on a range of security topics ranging from pirates to the Arctic to the role of law in international affairs. One particularly interesting panel was about the way forward in Afghanistan with Senator John McCain, (Ret’d) Gen. Rick Hillier, Najam Sethi, the editor of the Pakistani newspaper “The Daily Times”, and Michael Semple of Harvard who has lived and worked in Afghanistan for many years. As I told Minister MacKay, I have been to many conferences over the years on a wide variety of topics. But the discussion of Afghanistan was about the best thing I had ever seen at any of them.

Ambassador Jacobson, Senator John McCain and Senator Mark Udall and staff

Ambassador Jacobson, Senator John McCain and Senator Mark Udall and staff


I ducked out of one session to meet with Darrell Dexter the Premier of Nova Scotia. We had a great conversation about energy (he had just returned from a meeting with the Atlantic Premiers in Churchill Falls where they had talked about the Hydro Quebec/New Brunswick Power deal) and our respective backgrounds. It turns out we are both the first in our families to graduate from college and both of our fathers had similar jobs. The Premier’s father was a sheet metal worker. My father made medicine cabinets out of sheet metal.
Ambassador Jacobson in New Brunswick with the Confederation Bridge to PEI in the background

Ambassador Jacobson in New Brunswick with the Confederation Bridge to PEI in the background


On Sunday morning we got an early start and drove from Halifax to Charlottetown. This gave me a chance to see the Confederation Bridge (Charlottetown is the “Cradle of Canadian Confederation”) which stretches for 8 miles from New Brunswick to PEI. We spent some time driving around the rolling hills of the PEI countryside (reminds me of Iowa) and then had lunch in Charlottetown. We are now in the car driving back across the Confederation Bridge on our way to Fredericton to have dinner with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham.
DJ

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November 18, 2009 – St. John’s Newfoundland

Thursday, 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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November 16, 2009 – Ottawa

Tuesday, 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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November 13, 2009 — Ottawa

Monday, 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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November 11, 2009, Ottawa

Thursday, 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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November 9, 2009 – Ottawa

Tuesday, 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

Thursday, 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 Astronauts and the Ambassador at Roberta Bondar School

The Astronauts and the Ambassador at Roberta Bondar School


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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