(Ottawa) The freedom of speech of Canadian ambassadors is being undermined by Global Affairs Canada. It is not unusual for the Department to muzzle its heads of mission, even though Justin Trudeau had promised that his government would be “open by default”.
“The ambassador [Bob Rae, à l’ONU] would be happy to do the interview,” his press secretary said in an email in mid-October. Then, this: “I’m sorry, Global Affairs Canada has just informed me that they will not be able to do the interview. »
This example is recent, but it joins others: in recent months, more than one head of mission from Ottawa contacted directly by The Press was prevented from granting an interview by the Ministry.
“I do not have the authority to speak to you without approval from Ottawa since you are a Canadian journalist [mais] I am open to the possibility of an interview,” the ABC ambassador wrote a few months ago1stationed in a strategic country.
ABC did not get approval.
Another case: “Unfortunately, Ambassador XYZ’s schedule does not allow this at the moment,” regretted Global Affairs in an email to The Press. “It’s not good to lie to the media,” XYZ reacted with a wink in a private message.
“I’m really sorry, the machine is too big. They did the same thing to [deux autres médias] a few weeks ago,” the diplomat, also stationed in a country where Canada has crucial interests, added on WhatsApp.
He had previously said he was ready to grant an interview (his schedule allowed it).
Risk-averse culture
“We criticized the Harper government because it muzzled civil servants, but on many issues, the Trudeau government was no better,” notes Thomas Juneau, of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa.
“The culture is still telling ourselves that the risks of an interview turning against us [le gouvernement] are too big, so we don’t do it,” he notes.
We prefer to minimize risk and communication, and I find that this is shooting ourselves in the foot.
Thomas Juneau, from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa
For clarification, there is no question here of a systematic gagging, the proof being that The Press interviews heads of mission, like other media. Asked to clarify its policy, Global Affairs cited in particular the abundance of requests.
The media relations unit receives on average more than 300 requests per month, about a quarter of which are interview requests, spokesperson Marilyne Guèvremont wrote in an email.
The Ministry has “processes in place to evaluate each media request, including requests for interviews with heads of mission,” she added, noting that ambassadors to Lebanon, Israel and Egypt have been in the media this week.
Reluctance and centralization
Both at Global Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office, we closely monitor the diplomatic situation. And ambassadors can be called to order even after the end of their mandate, as noted in particular, in 2019, by two former Canadian ambassadors to China, David Mulroney and Guy Saint-Jacques.
In the midst of a crisis with Beijing, they received a call from Paul Thoppil, who was at the time assistant deputy minister – the Conservatives called for an investigation into this interference before a committee, in vain.
“He calls me to give me a message from the Prime Minister’s office. He said: “You need to understand that we want to speak with one voice,” says Guy Saint-Jacques in an interview.
“I said to him, ‘I’m a little surprised you called me to tell me that. I am a big boy. Tell the people at the Prime Minister’s Office that if they want to talk to me, they have my phone number. Let them call me,” he continues.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, Chrystia Freeland, later apologized to him and assured him that he had complete freedom of speech. Nevertheless, this episode is symptomatic of the culture of centralization in Ottawa, believes the ex-diplomat.
What we have seen over the last 20-30 years is a gradual concentration of power in the Prime Minister’s office. It made a lot of people nervous.
Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China
“Lol”
The former diplomat “would not be surprised” if the John McCallum affair caused a tightening of the noose. In January 2019, the former minister appointed ambassador to Beijing was fired after making controversial statements in the media.
The fact remains that “it would be really useful if our ambassadors could be more publicly present,” argues Thomas Juneau, who was a member of the Advisory Group on National Security Transparency.
But otherwise, is Bob Rae concerned about the freedom of speech of ambassadors? ” No comment. Lol,” wrote Canada’s representative to the United Nations, who is not the type to be muzzled, in a text message. Except once in October.
1 The Press agreed to grant anonymity to two ambassadors (ABC and XYZ) who requested it to avoid professional reprisals.