Doer’s deep integration

Ambassadorship a reward for promoting economic harmony with United States

The past weeks have seen a tumultuous shift in the political landscape of the province as Gary Doer, Canada’s longest serving premier, announced his resignation as the leader of Manitoba. Widely admired for his charisma and middle-of-the-road approach to government, Doer now moves on to become the next Canadian ambassador to the United States.

Doer is well-suited to his new position, as he already knows most of the western United States’ governors from previous meetings. He has consistently demonstrated an ability to work towards consensus with people from many backgrounds and he is a better leader for doing so.

For example, though Doer and Prime Minister Stephen Harper do not share the same political stripes, both men can agree on the principles of free trade and economic harmony. Despite this similarity, Harper’s choice of Doer is an odd one for a man so distinctly partisan. Experience has demonstrated that the prime minister is a smart man, but never an impartial one. This then begs the question of why he chose Doer to represent Canada to the U.S.

Careful observation might suggest this was a reward of sorts for the premier who had actively supported the prime minister’s commitment to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). Described by some as ‘NAFTA on steroids,’ the secretive SPP would have seen the rise of a North American Union, akin to that in Europe, with fluid borders and integrated economic and regulatory systems. As the geographic centre of Canada, Manitoba would have played a very important part within this union. Though the SPP agreement was recently ended at the wishes of U.S. President Barack Obama, the long-term goal of deep integration between Canada and the U.S. remains a priority for many.

It would be hard to find a more vocal proponent of the SuperCorridor than Doer, and he will be able to continue campaigning for it from a more powerful position in Washington.

One such group, the North American SuperCorridor Coalition Inc., remains committed to building a series of inland ports for shipping through the centre of the continent. Both the provincial and federal governments have invested millions in infrastructure dollars to upgrade Winnipeg’s airport and other transport facilities in an attempt to include the city at the northern end of this proposed corridor. While in office, Doer signed a number of trade agreements with individual U.S. states. There has also been renewed federal and provincial investment for the Port of Churchill, in anticipation of increased Arctic shipping as polar ice recedes.

In short, it would be hard to find a more vocal proponent of the SuperCorridor than Doer, and he will be able to continue campaigning for it from a more powerful position in Washington. Indeed, Doer’s appointment to the post represents a continuation of ambassadors who are committed to greater integration and cooperation with the U.S. Canada’s outgoing ambassador, Michael Wilson, negotiated the terms of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States in the late 1980s and early ‘90s.

Doer’s reward for a job well done is a pay raise of over $80,000, increased national exposure and a move to one of the most important cities on the planet. Due to his efforts as premier, he leaves behind a Manitoba that is far more connected to the world than it was before he took office.

Paul Figsby is an education student at the University of Winnipeg.

Published in Volume 64, Number 2 of The Uniter (September 10, 2009)

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