Oh CANADA!!

Yes, taking advantage of the proximity to another national border, I had the chance to visit Canada's capital city of Ottawa. The class I am TA'ing for is part of Syracuse's Freshman Learning Communities Program where students interested in a particular major get placed on the same floor as other incoming students and then take an intro class together before they get the chance to declare their major. The IR learning community also sponsors a yearly trip to Canada to talk about US-Canadian relations which gives students a great chance to see foreign diplomacy in action, learn about issues that extend beyond our borders, and do so without having to board a plane.

We spent the morning meeting with representatives from the US Embassy in Canada who talked about everything from the extension of non-traditional embassy agencies like the Department of Homeland Security to Canadian stances on NAFTA and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

We then had some free time and I went around with the 2 Peer Mentors who are undergrads that had previously been part of the learning community and are now in charge of facilitating students through this year as well as teaching classes once a week. We had a great time taking in the sights of Ottawa. I must admit, it was a BEAUTIFUL city. The streets are busy but wide and inviting, the buildings not overwhelming or looming, and the people were very laid-back and friendly. There is a lot of British influence and the emphasis on preserving the original architecture has resulted in a stunning conglomeration of high copper-plated turret-towers on stone facades alongside modern skyrise and banks of office windows.

We toured the Parliament learning of their bicameral system headed by ministers representing the more than 33 million Canadians. The architecture, again, was breath-taking including statuary built into the walls with faces of historic leaders and monarchs, walls made from limestone rich in fossils, and archways buttressing out in sweeping lines across the vaulted ceilings. A personal highlight was, while waiting for the elevator that would take us up to the top of the "Peace Tower" overlooking the city, I ran into a family from Mexico City visiting Canada for their first time too. They had tried to cut in line ahead of us, thinking that the group was waiting for a tour guide. Since nobody spoke Spanish behind me, they were successful in elbowing their way through until I heard them discussing their need to continue forward and I kindly remarked in Spanish that there was a line and we were all waiting for the elevator. The woman was seriously surprised to hear anyone address her in Spanish let alone to tell her that she couldn't go forward any more. But, we ended up being good friends as we talked about their trip and they complimented me on my Spanish skills.

Following the parliament, we had some more free time wherein I bought some authentic Maple syrup contained in little glass maple jars and a French baguette from a little bakery run by French Ontarians. It was interesting seeing all the signs in English and French, the measurements all converted in metrics, and hear the fluid interchange between the Angliphone and Francophone cultures. I realized just how little I really know about Canada and, being such a vital trading partner and ally, I should really take some time to get to know more.

It was a fantastic day trip--exhausting but fantastic! I got home to find out that my car had broken down and after an ordeal in the rain we managed to get it to a garage that will look at it on Monday.

In other news, I've had a great time getting out to some cultural events including a night of Spanish opera (Zarzuela) in the small town of Homer, NY. I had never imagined having access to world-class Spanish lyrical theater, but in a small theater that had been a church and now converted into a civic center, I found a gem of culture performed only once a year. Also, I braved the waters of Lake Owasco in driving a waverunner for the first time. Leaving the crammed and admittedly dismal city center of Syracuse, the open countryside and sweeping hillsides sprinkled with long-skinny "finger" lakes is a truly breath-taking and relaxing atmosphere. I'm excited for the full onset of Fall as the leaves are just now starting to change color and the promise of a colorful cascade of leaves awaits me.

Otherwise, these next couple weeks will be full of midterms, presentations, and projects so hopefully I'll be able to keep up. Classes are picking up in intensity and the weather is dimming down but Syracuse remains a constant adventure.





Inside Parliament, the House of Commons chambers. Usually, meetings are in session while tour groups pass through so they don't let you go inside, but since they are out campaigning in preparation for the October 14th elections, we were able to go inside.





No caption necessary

Ottawa as seen from the Peace Tower.

A beautiful bridge over Ottawa River

Katie and I enjoying our French baguettes and toasting to the maple syrup bottles

LOOK AT THIS PURPLE HOUSE!! I ran into this beautiful house right on a main thoroughfare of Skaneateles, a major tourist town about 30 min outside of Syracuse

A boat docked on Skaneateles lake overlooks a quiet park

This is inside a beautiful park called Watkins Glen. Amazing geology and lots of money for trail-making have made it a great afternoon getaway as well as the site for some incredible engagement photo opps.

I was amazed by this statue in the visitor's center at the Peter Whitmer Farm. Documenting the restoration of the priesthood by Peter, James, and John, the statue is incredible--yes the angels are really floating!

Finally, the peer mentors and I pose outside of Parliament.

moving toward election day

A report from the Inter-American Dialogue recently compared McCain and Obama's foreign policy towards Latin America.

Title: Obama, McCain Offer Stark Contrasts on Latin America Policy
Author: Interview with Michael Shifter
Source: America.gov
Date: September 8, 2008

By Eric Green

Washington — The two major U.S. presidential candidates offer stark contrasts in their positions on Latin America and the Caribbean, several specialists on the region tell America.gov.

Michael Shifter, vice president for policy at the Washington-based nonpartisan Inter-American Dialogue, said Republican John McCain’s “rhetoric” on Cuba and Venezuela is “certainly tougher” than that of Democrat Barack Obama.

But Shifter said it is “unclear how that will translate in policy terms.” He said that under a McCain administration, the current U.S. “stance” toward Cuba probably will continue, “and it might even get more hardline.”

Obama already has proposed “some modest steps” toward an opening with Cuba, including lifting U.S. restrictions on sending remittances to Cuba and on travel restrictions for Cuban Americans to the Caribbean nation, Shifter said.

Obama’s “willingness” to talk with Cuban President Raúl Castro, “with a carefully prepared agenda, marks a contrast with McCain’s posture,” Shifter said.

He said McCain’s rhetoric aimed at Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has been “harsher and more confrontational than Obama’s.” Shifter said Obama seems to favor a more diplomatic approach in dealing with Chávez, and that Obama’s “moderate tone would not, however, conceal basic policy differences with the Chávez government, especially on such issues as Iran and Afghanistan.”

Shifter said “tensions between the United States and Venezuela under a McCain or Obama administration would likely persist.”

COLOMBIA

Regarding Colombia, Shifter said that McCain’s concern with national security questions suggest the Republican is likely to be a strong advocate of continuing U.S. support for the next phase of Plan Colombia called the “Strategy to Strengthen Democracy and Promote Social Development.” Obama is “also a proponent of continued security aid” to the Andean nation, Shifter said. (See “United States To Shift Focus of Funds for Colombia.”)

But Shifter said McCain and Obama “differ sharply” on a pending U.S. free-trade agreement with Colombia, with McCain backing the pact and Obama opposed to it because of incidents of violence against Colombian union officials.

“Ironically, it may be easier to get” the trade agreement through the U.S. Congress under Obama rather than with a McCain administration, Shifter said. He said McCain could have a more adversarial relationship with the next Congress — very likely to be controlled by the Democrats — than would Obama. “Obama could more easily put together a larger package featuring social protections and benefits for U.S. workers and that could help pave the way for eventual congressional approval” of the trade pact.

Regarding how high a priority the Americas will be for the next U.S. administration, Shifter said “Latin Americans should have learned by now to keep their expectations in check.” Situations in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia and China are likely to command much attention from a new administration, “so Latin America is unlikely to get the attention it deserves.”

McCain has made several trips to the region, Shifter said. Obama never has visited, but either “will need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of an area” that has “undergone profound changes and no longer responds to Washington’s tutorial impulses.” (See “Next U.S. President Unlikely to Alter U.S. Latin America Policy.”)

McCAIN MUM, OBAMA VAGUE ON U.S. IMAGE IN THE AMERICAS

Reflecting Shifter’s comments, Greg Weeks, an associate professor of political science at the University of North Carolina, said the two candidates are divided on the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. Obama, he said, has taken a “surprisingly skeptical view of the embargo and although he has not called for it to be dismantled, he has said that our policy toward Cuba has been a ‘failure.’”

Obama also has called for “engagement with the Cuban government, for which he has been criticized by McCain for being naïve,” said Weeks, who also writes a blog called Two Weeks Notice.

On whether either candidate could get immigration legislation passed by Congress, Weeks said that “my hunch is no, though the makeup of Congress after the elections will be important.”

He said that although Democrats won a majority in the last congressional election in 2006, many members of the House of Representative “were conservative and so opposed immigration reform. Given McCain's clear interest in [immigration] reform, though, he will be more likely to expend political capital to get it passed. Obama has said he would pursue reform, but my sense is that the topic is a lower priority for him.”

When asked how the candidates could improve the U.S. image in the Americas, Weeks responded that he has not heard McCain address this question, perhaps because doing so could be interpreted as a criticism of President Bush. McCain’s campaign has said it will ensure “top administration officials would have strong Latin American portfolios,” according to Weeks.

Obama has emphasized diplomacy and a policy of “helping the poor, shoring up civil society and strengthening democratic institutions, though the specifics are vague,” Weeks said.

He said that “ultimately, from a rhetorical standpoint, Obama offers more promise of policy change toward Latin America than McCain, whose policies [including immigration] remain very close to President Bush.” But because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, renewed tension with Russia and myriad other global issues, “Latin America will not likely be a top priority once the new president is elected,” Weeks said.

Details of McCain’s and Obama’s positions on the Americas are available on the Web sites of the respective candidates.

The article highlights the possible neglect towards Latin America--and the sad tradition of paying attention only to the most vocal crowds of Venezuela and Columbia. Granted, the priorities in foreign relations will be those countries who represent the greatest security, diplomatic, or commercial threat. But, both of the candidates fail to recognize the loss of sentiment in Latin America as a whole representing a huge problem for future relations. We need to spend more time building up our allies than just breaking down our enemies, giving good press to the countries that stubbornly defend democracy against the squeaky wheels of Morales, Chavez, and Correa, and dedicate our diplomatic strengths to empowerment rather than subterfuge.

update

Hmmm...seems that it has been a while since I last posted. My bad. Honestly, I have made numerous attempts to sit and plunk out my blog, but have failed miserably until today.

By way of personal update, I officially finished another 3-credit 3-week intensive course at the Maxwell School. This time, rather than punching in numbers and working out budgets, I was in the middle of debates about the true meaning of democracy and what kinds of implications working in our form of democracy has on public administrators. With my personal international preference, it was often difficult to maintain a constant focus in the class though the dialog was a nice change.

I then had a week off which I blissfully spent doing just about nothing. Well, I had orientation for the International Relations side of my studies and so I got to make some great contacts and meet some new faces in the program. I went on a couple sidetrips familiarizing myself with some more wonderful country towns of the Finger Lakes region, started a Guatemala scrapbook (which is going to take me a year!), and revived my love for Yoga and Pilates.

Then, on the 25th of August, I started back into the swing of being a full-time student. With a mix of 4 classes (Managerial Economics, Intro to Statistics, Public Organizations and Management, and Global Information Technology Policy), one additional audited class in Business Spanish, and my time as a TA for an international relations introduction course, my time is flying by.

Finding the balance between class, homework, church, sleep, food, transportation, hygiene, and personal life is definitely a challenge. I was somewhat converted to the easy flow of South America and the general "tranquil" attitude of taking things as they came rather than trying to jam-pack every minute with challenging and stimulating activities. Somewhere between the hemispheres I lost my love of juggling and so I'm having to reteach myself how to work everything in.

At the same time, there are a lot of wonderful things going on around campus, with institute and the singles branch, and in life in general. After making brownies and a cake for my friend's birthday, I now have the reputation of a "baker" in my house. I whipped out my classic root-beer chicken crock-pot masterpiece and felt quite accomplished to actually cook a full meal for a potluck activity. I went tubing out on Lake Owasco near Auburn, NY where I was stung by a wasp for the first time in my life. As I agonized about the pin-prick-sized hole that was causing a giant welt on my foot, I learned that baking soda and water makes a miraculous compound for wasp stings.

What else...lots of casual friend outings, getting to know local restaurants, bars, and even the karaoke joint. I went through a great Michaelangelo exhibit here on campus, attended an Irish Fest where I got info for participating in a Feis in April, and went to my first on-campus Lecture by a Professor Vanden from Florida about social movements in Latin America.

So, really quick and not that informative I'm sure, but that's my life in a nutshell since I last reported.