Diplomacy puzzling for inconsistencies

This week’s searing failure of leadership on the part of U.S. President Donald Trump after the brazen neoNazi display of muscle in Charlottesville, Va., prompts a spate of worrying questions. One of which is: Does Canada have the relationship right with this U.S. administration?

Media reports of a “friendship” between Justin Trudeau’s principal secretary, Gerry Butts, and Trump’s now ousted alt-right adviser Steve Bannon raised brief speculation that we might be cosying up to America at a too-high moral cost. But our lack of alarm over the two men’s professional relationship suggests most Canadians believe our government manages Washington well, or well enough.

A good reason to think we’re doing OK is our thorough preparation for the NAFTA talks. Early in the week, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland spelled out publicly what our team seeks from the talks. Then she took media questions and provided serious answers. Once trade talks had opened, she answered more questions, ensuring Canadians are looped in.

The Canadian government also negotiated the release from North Korea of Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim. A senior emissary for the Prime Minister’s Office led the team that secured Lim’s freedom.

These are signs of smart diplomacy, and tell Canadians that the Liberals — even when faced with inconsistent and mentally volatile leaders — know what they are doing and understand they must be accountable for it.

Which makes some of our other diplomatic moves more glaringly unacceptable.

Charles Burton, former senior counsellor to the Canadian embassy in Beijing, has pointed out Freeland met in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to talk trade. Freeland didn’t hold detailed public briefings and Canadians remain largely in the dark about how the government plans to resolve our conflicting interests with China over human rights, security and commerce.

The Trudeau government continues to stumble over arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Recently released video footage appears to show Saudi forces using Canadian-made light-armoured vehicles against Saudi citizens. The Saudis had said they wouldn’t use these tools of war against their own citizens. The government professed shock at the video and has launched an investigation, as if it had never occurred to anyone the Saudis might not keep their word.

In short Canada appears to be pretty good at its diplomatic dealings with unhinged and unbalanced leaders.

It’s the level-headed despots that seem to trip us up. Let’s work on that. Postmedia Network