# MND MacKay for NATO Secretary General?



## The Bread Guy (22 Jan 2009)

*Who can unite the allies?*
Contenders are lining up for the race to be NATO’s new secretary-general
The Economist. 22 Jan 09
Article link - .pdf permalink

THE world’s most successful military alliance is looking for a new boss. On January 26th, NATO ambassadors will start talking about who should replace Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as secretary-general when he steps down this summer. The decision could be made at the 60th-anniversary summit in April, though that may be too soon for America’s new administration .... *Two Canadian possibilities are Peter MacKay and John Manley, defence and former foreign ministers respectively. Canada has transformed its armed forces and fought hard in Afghanistan.* But NATO may prefer somebody from an EU country to help overcome the friction between the two bodies ....

_More on links_


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## Journeyman (22 Jan 2009)

:rofl:

I'm sorry, but Canada's repeated, Afghanistan-based claims that the Europeans aren't pulling their weight (yes, France and Germany -- you) has effectively shut Canada out of _any_ NATO leadership line-serials in the near future.

Politics is like that.


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## Rifleman62 (23 Jan 2009)

After LPC/CBC greatest hero, P.E. Trudeau became PM, Canada did not pull it's weight in NATO. With that reputation, Canada cannot complain about the Europeans pulling their weight.

His legacy lives on.


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## Edward Campbell (23 Jan 2009)

The NATO Secretary General is _traditionally_ (always, since the post was created in 1952) a European - Brits, Belgians and Dutch have topped the list over the past 57 years. This was agreed amongst the principle members as a way to counterbalance America's dominance in the military sphere.

This is not the first time a Canadian has been touted for the post: Mulroney was hinted at during the '90s and Manley's name came up when Lord Carrington retired.

My bet is on a European, maybe someone from one of the 'new' members.


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## ltmaverick25 (26 Jan 2009)

I like the idea of "NATO's man for Germany"


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## PPCLI Guy (26 Jan 2009)

I suspect that the PM would be more than happy to have either one of them depart the Ottawa scene...


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## The Bread Guy (26 Jan 2009)

....like in the Brit series "Yes, Minister" perhaps?


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## geo (26 Jan 2009)

PPCLI Guy said:
			
		

> I suspect that the PM would be more than happy to have either one of them depart the Ottawa scene...



With a minority government on his hands, I don't think that Mr Harper would be interested in seeing Mr MacKay's appointment to the post.... even if it were ever offered.


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## PPCLI Guy (31 Jan 2009)

geo said:
			
		

> With a minority government on his hands, I don't think that Mr Harper would be interested in seeing Mr MacKay's appointment to the post.... even if it were ever offered.



You are thinking short game - and Harper is a long-gamer.  In the short game, he loses one seat - which has no impact on the balance of power.  In the long game, he says goodbye to a potential rival at the next leadership review.


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## geo (31 Jan 2009)

even if Mr MacKay was in Brussels.... wouldn't stop him from throwing his hat into the contest for the next leadership review... IMHO


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## MarkOttawa (2 Feb 2009)

A post by Paul Wells of Maclean's [internal links at original]:

NATO: MacKay’s Atlantic gateway?
http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/02/nato-mackays-atlantic-gateway/



> Here’s the U.S. ambassador to NATO saying his country — the U.S.; try to keep up — would be “open” to a Canadian secretary--general for the alliance.
> 
> That’s new.
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## dapaterson (2 Feb 2009)

I suspect this is an Ottawa insider trying to get out while he still can; drop a few rumours to a few of your pet journalists; they both run around asking, people tell them "Oh, other people are asking that too" and you've got corroboration and a news story.

I guess having struck out in Ottawa (pace Belinda) he's looking to Europe...


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## MarkOttawa (2 Feb 2009)

A post by Paul Wells of Maclean's [internal links at original]:

NATO: MacKay’s Atlantic gateway?
http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/02/nato-mackays-atlantic-gateway/



> Here’s the U.S. ambassador to NATO saying his country — the U.S.; try to keep up — would be “open” to a Canadian secretary--general for the alliance.
> 
> That’s new.
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## Journeyman (2 Feb 2009)

> *....including MacKay. (It’s the first time a Conservative cabinet minister has attended the confab since the Conservatives were elected in 2006.)*


The word root of "confab" may actually be applicable to this blog:

*con·fab·u·late*
_Psychology_ (v.) To fill gaps in one's thoughts with fabrications that one believes to be facts.    

He's presented nothing but innuendo: "some scuttlebutt...."  " a senior European diplomat in Ottawa told me...." Maybe he should poll the military wives in the Petawawa Tim Hortons?   :


Perhaps MacKay's attendance is linked to trying to create a more balanced North American presence at NATO, given the growing US troop-strength in Afghanistan. Or maybe, given the recent Canadian requests for greater NATO participation in southern Afghanistan, a Cabinet-level presence was deemed appropriate.

Sorry, I don't see a hidden agenda in MacKay is attending this conference -- but then, seeing conspiracy theories has never been my strong suit.


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## MarkOttawa (2 Feb 2009)

Journeyman: Clearly you're not a card-carrying member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery :
http://www.gallery-tribune.ca/

The website does not list any blogs, which may be an indicator of something.

Dissecting  possible conspiracies is so much easier than actually doing the work needed for good reporting.  Though Mr Wells is pretty good and did recently go to Afstan:
http://blog.macleans.ca/2008/12/18/the-growing-storm/

Mark
Ottawa


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## Journeyman (2 Feb 2009)

MarkOttawa said:
			
		

> Dissecting  possible conspiracies is so much easier than actually doing the work needed for good reporting.  Though Mr Wells is pretty good and did recently go to Afstan


I noticed him wearing a helmet in one of his pics. 

I'm just miffed at what _seems_ to be a growing trend towards relying on second-hand rumours in these news Op Ed pieces, rather than actually tracking down the source of a story. There's no indication that he even pretended to contact MacKay's office to ask about the Munich Security Conference....or DFAIT to ask about Manley, since he mentioned him in passing. 

I meant to include the term "vacuous fluff," but clearly I was exasperated by the.....uh, vacuous fluff. What I _meant_ was, "no different from the dowdy fish-monger's wife, gossiping over the back fence."   ;D


Nope, I doubt if Parliamentary Press Gallery membership is in my future.


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## MarkOttawa (2 Feb 2009)

Journeyman: As for contemporary relevance, take a look at the Gallery's links page:
http://www.gallery-tribune.ca/links.html

Mark
Ottawa


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## Journeyman (2 Feb 2009)

Between the _Kenora Daily Miner_ and the "National Farmers Union," they're pretty much covered 
-- oh, hang on, one critical link seems to be missing


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## MarkOttawa (2 Feb 2009)

Journeyman: Our love at the site burns brightly  :-*.
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/

Mark
Ottawa


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## MarkOttawa (3 Feb 2009)

Mr Wells' kite looks unlikely to stay airborne:

Canadian unlikely to lead NATO: insiders
MacKay, Manley hold respect, but non-European chief 'unhealthy'
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canadian+unlikely+lead+NATO+insiders/1246477/story.html



> If Peter MacKay had been born in Denmark, then maybe.
> 
> But as it stands, the prospect of the first Canadian winning the top political job in the North American Treaty Organization, appears as likely as finding a lasting peace in Afghanistan by next Christmas.
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## geo (3 Feb 2009)

> For optics and balance, you have an American SACEUR. To have then a non-European political head also would be seen as unhealthy for the organization," the NATO diplomat said...



And for this bunch.... To have a US SACEUR and a Canadian (North American) Secretary General.... would appear to be too much from one side of the pond


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## The Bread Guy (3 Feb 2009)

<slight hijack>


			
				Journeyman said:
			
		

> Between the *Kenora Daily Miner *and the "National Farmers Union," they're pretty much covered


You may giggle, but now that Kenora is a Conservative riding in a sea of orange and red in that corner of Ontario, the _Kenora Daily Miner's_ on more must-read lists than you might think just because of its size....
</slight hijack>

Back to your regularly scheduled speculation  ;D


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## The Bread Guy (4 Feb 2009)

More layers of the onion to peel away - shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the _Copyright Act._

*MacKay's NATO bid off to a dubious start*
Unofficial campaign to be secretary general called 'little bit strange'
Allan Woods, Toronto Star, 4 Feb 09
Article link

It doesn't take much to raise eyebrows in the world of transatlantic diplomacy, as Defence Minister Peter MacKay is finding out.

His chance of becoming the next head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been described as a long shot; he would be the first Canadian to hold the post of secretary general in the alliance.

But sources close to the deliberations have another word to describe the young Tory's campaign: clumsy.

"There are some elements that are a little bit strange. He's lobbying for it, but he keeps it to himself for the time being," one western diplomatic source told the Star.

"MacKay is trying to have quite intensive consultations with a number of his counterparts. Apparently he has tried to meet our minister of defence recently. ... He wanted to meet him without giving a particular reason."

MacKay's campaign is expected to continue this weekend at a major security conference in Munich, Germany, that will be attended by numerous heads of state, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Vice-President Joe Biden.

The 43-year-old MP for Central Nova has also run afoul of Prime Minister Stephen Harper in what one source described as an attempt to publicize his candidacy to succeed Jaap de Hoop Scheffer of the Netherlands.

A government source said the first time MacKay's candidacy came up at a meeting where Harper was present, the Prime Minister appeared to pay it no attention. But when people close to MacKay tried to publicize his candidacy "all hell broke loose" in the Prime Minister's Office, the source said.

But PMO spokesperson Kory Teneycke questioned that version of events. "That's not as it was described to me," he said. "It's not accurate of the Prime Minister or the senior levels of his staff, all of whom I have spoken to."

Both Teneycke and Dan Dugas, MacKay's spokesperson, said the fact a Canadian is being mentioned as a candidate for a job that traditionally goes to a European speaks to the country's standing in the international arena....

_More on link_


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## The Bread Guy (9 Mar 2009)

More grist for the speculation mill, from Reuters,


> Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay, pressed about media reports that he could be in the running for the job of NATO Secretary-General, said on Monday that nationality should not be a bar for the post but shied away from saying he was interested....



CanWest,


> ...."I don't believe that a person's nationality, given the number of NATO counties there, should ever be a bar to ascendancy to any role in NATO," MacKay said Monday....



and from the _Washington Post_


> ....The first involves achieving agreement on a new secretary general to take charge of the organization this summer. Washington would reward Canada for its valiant combat performance in Afghanistan by putting Defense Minister Peter MacKay in the job. But European countries feel that this is not the time to break a tradition of giving the post to a European (who would presumably have a surer feel for Europe's complex politics). The all-too-predictable catch: There is no European consensus candidate ....


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## MarkOttawa (9 Mar 2009)

Frankly, I think Mr MacKay is dismally qualified for any number of reasons.  Here's one:

Afstan: MND MacKay's miserable failure to communicate 
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/11/afstan-mnd-mackays-miserable-failure-to.html

Mark
Ottawa


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## The Bread Guy (22 Mar 2009)

More tea leaves to read, courtesy of CTV.ca:


> Peter MacKay said Sunday his focus is on his responsibilities as defence minister and not on getting the job as NATO's next secretary-general.
> 
> Speaking to reporters in Brussels, MacKay said his priorities include his work reforming the Canadian military, as well as the mission in Afghanistan.
> 
> "I have a tremendous amount of work to do with the Canadian Forces," MacKay said, adding he was "very focused on my country."....



and CanWest/National Post:


> .... "I read newspaper accounts. I'm not going to get drawn into the speculation. I'll leave that to others," MacKay told a news conference after his appearance.  "All I can say is that Canada is a strong (NATO) contributor, and I think the fact that our nation is even being considered speaks mainly to the efforts of our armed forces, and I really salute their tremendous sacrifice and their tremendous commitment, professionalism, courage, and I include their families in that."....


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## MarkOttawa (22 Mar 2009)

From _The Torch_:

I guess the MND will have to stay in Ottawa
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-guess-mnd-will-have-to-stay-in-ottawa.html



> Poor Peter, one more time:
> 
> "U.S. backs Danish PM as next NATO chief: diplomats..."



Mark
Ottawa


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## The Bread Guy (4 Apr 2009)

Ladies and gentlemen, it's official - the answer to the title of the thread is now "*no*".  This from CanWest News Service:


> Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen was named Saturday the new secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.  Rasmussen won the required unanimous support of the 28 NATO members even though Turkey had previously argued the Dane's unpopularity in the Muslim world would hurt the alliance's credibility in many countries, including Afghanistan ....


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