Behind the Embassy Door: Canada, Clinton and Quebec

by Jim Blanchard and James J. Blanchard

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1886947597
• ISBN13: 9781886947597
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Gale Cengage
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.8" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Blanchard - A True Ambassdor

If only James Blanchard were still the US Ambassador to Canada! Relations between the two countries would not be in the sorry state they are now. But then the current Republican administration would never send someone like Blanchard to Ottawa. Blanchard made every attempt to get to understand Canada and Canadian issue before he even moved to the capital. He travelled to all ten provinces in the months prior to setting up shop across from the parliament buildings. This book provides a powerful and insightful backdrop against which to view the current administration's constant harping about the war on drugs. Canada is trying to take a more European approach, treating the problem as a medical issue as opposed to a criminal matter - but that only enrages George Bush's gang. One would think that the US war on drugs was a series of resounding triumphs! Blanchard also noted that Canada does not 'do inbvasions' but rather does peacekeeping, so advised Clinton not to even ask Canada to take part in an invasion of Haiti. He also noted that we like to do things as part of the United Nations, so that was the best way to approach us. Imagine! This book should be read by all US ambassadors, in fact all US state department officials for that matter.

Excellent insight into US-Canada dimplomatic relations.

This is an interesting book for both Canadians and Americans alike. It covers lots of different situations within Canada-US relations and clearly lays out the information on them. The content is layed out in such a way that it is an interesting and straightforward read. It's discussion of diplomacy between Canada and the United States is brought to a level where everyone can understand the basis, without being extremly well versed in politics and foreign relations. The section on the Québec sovereignty referendum was very interesting, especially for those in Canada who did the same as Mr. Blanchard and sat in front of their televisions watching a red and blue line switch places. All-in-all, an interesting and informative read.

an interesting and exciting read! yes this is NON-fiction

I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. I cant remember when I was last so enthralled in a non-fiction book. I reads like a good novel. As a Canadian it was interesting to note the observations of an American in Canada. One minor nit-pick. He throws a lot of names and titles at the reader. I live here, so I already know of a lot of the Canadian people mentioned. Im not sure if an American reader would become confused or not. A list of the people mentioned with their repective titles would have been nice.

This is an insightful and informative treatment of Canada.

If you ever wanted to know how Canadians differ from Americans. If you ever wondered about, or were confused by their parlimentary style of government, then James Blanchard's book is an excellent source of information. It is informative, insightful, and written with good pace and enthusiasm. For me, I finally got an understanding of what an ambassador does. In terms of deficiencies, he dosen't tell the reader a great deal about the problems of the average Canadian. I also wished that he would say more about the desire of French Canadians to seperate from Canada, in order to maintain an identity that they feel slipping away. He might also have said more about the autonomy of the Provinces as opposed to what we are familiar with, with the States. Alltogether though, this is an excellent effort.

Fascinating inside view of big league diplomacy.

Former U.S. ambassador to Canada, James Blanchard is a storyteller. The stories add up to a fascinating portrayal of Canada, Canada-U.S. relations and the inside, multifaceted function of an ambassador. Perhaps because he is not a career diplomat, Blanchard is candid and personal. The U.S. and Canada share a long border and are major trading partners. Without diplomacy, it becomes clear in the book, relations between the two would soon deteriorate into bitter battles, maybe real battles, between fishermen, lumbermen, farmers, business people and politicians. The back and forth of negotiation, orchestrated by ambassadors and their staffs, calming tempers, fixinging misperceptions, interpreting public postures, and always seeking some middle ground, seems to be essiential.For non-fiction, this is fairly close to a page-turner. Threaded though the narrative is the threat of Quebec's secession. It comes to a climax in the referendum on separation in 1995, near the end of Ambassador Blanchard's tenure. The U.S. preferred a united Canada. At the Ambassador's urging, Setretary of State Warren Christopher, Presidential Press Secretary Mike McCurry, and eventually Clinton, himself, made last minute attempts to influence the result.This running story, along with the others in the book, tells us how diplomacy works, in particulars not available from the news accounts.