Savage Washington

Luiza Ch. Savage covers political life south of the border. Follow Luiza on Twitter: @luizachsavage

Categories: Savage Washington

by Luiza Ch. Savage on Thursday, January 20, 2011 11:09am - 20 Comments

Tonight at 7pm ET Maclean’s and CPAC are presenting a live televised debate about the state of Canada-US relations.

If you are in DC, please join us at the gorgeous Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue (next door to the Canadian Embassy) — click here to RSVP.

In Canada, you can watch live on CPAC or at cpac.ca.

In the US, the event will be carried live on C-SPAN 2.

Pete Van Dusen will moderate an impressive panel that will include Paul Wells, Andrew Coyne, as well as:

Gary Doer – Canada’s ambassador to the United States (and former premier of Manitoba)
David Frum – Editor, FrumForum.com (and former Bush speech writer)
Maryscott Greenwood – Senior Managing Director, McKenna Long & Aldridge (and senior advisor to the Canadian-American Business Council and a former chief of staff at the US Embassy in Ottawa.)
Christopher Sands – Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute (the go-to analyst of Canada-US issues in the Washington think tank community.)
Pamela Wallin – Canadian Senator (and former Canadian Consul General in New York City.)

I’ll give some opening thoughts but mostly I’m looking forward to a very substantive and provocative evening.

criselis

I agree. If someone like Linda McQuaig was going to be on the panel I would probably make a point of watching. As it stands I think it will be pretty predictable. Doer will be constrained by his position as ambassador while Frum and Greenwood lead the corporate/free trade cheerleader squad. Coyne and Wells won't stray far from the cheerleaders either.

Jan

And Wallin is now as independent thinking as Duffy. She is painful to watch now.

JamesHalifax

Criselis wrote:
" If someone like Linda McQuaig was going to be on the panel I would probably make a point of watching. "

Criselis….she won't be there. It's not a comedy act.
edeast

Can there be specific topics not general, I'm feeling friendly, not friendly. This relationship sh!t bores me to tears.

Darden Cavalcade

We could have watched CSPAN-2, of course, but it would have interfered with all the "American" TV shows that are filmed in Canada and feature Canadian writers/artists.

How much attention do you really want from us down here? [Beware what you ask for.]
arly

what's the point in listening to a bunch of righty wingnuts…… I can just watch Mansbridge on CBC
JamesHalifax

I watched the entire program. Well worth it.

Best line of the night goes to Paul Wells in response to Andrew Coyne’s closing comments.

Something along the lines of closing the 1905 patent office because all of the best things have already been invented.

Granted, I agreed more with Coyne and some of the guests, but that line of Paul’s was pure gold.
Tony

I love America! I love the history, I love the music, I love the art, I love Chicago, I love NYC, I love the Northwest, I love San Fran, I love the politics, I love the ideas, i love the products, I LOVE AMERICA!