Hilary Clinton is all about connectivity and is re-inventing diplomacy - 140 characters at a time. Today we're @Twiplomacy ... that place in cyberspace where a diplomat who is all thumbs, is in fact the most connected. This first-ever study on the use of Twitter in politics and diplomacy gives a thumbs up to the Obama administration. And though our Prime Minister got his twitter handle long before many, world leaders critics say Canada is missing real opportunities to tweet itself into new territory on the diplomatic front.

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Twiplomacy: Should Canada follow Hillary Clinton's lead?

Since Hilary Clinton took over as U.S. Secretary of State, she's had her finger on many of the world's hot button issues. She's put her thumbs to good use as well. Her Blackberry and the Blackberries of her staff are part of the social networking tools she uses to pressure, to leverage, to inform. She encourages widespread use of social media throughout the foreign service.

It goes by the fabulous name of Twiplomacy, but Clinton's Senior Adviser for Innovation Alec Ross believes it's really smart use of technology.

Our first guest is the author of the very first study of how world leaders use Twitter. Matthias Lüfkens is the Managing Director of Digital Practice for Europe, Africa and the Middle East at Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations and communications firm. He was in Geneva.

Twiplomacy: Should Canada follow Hillary Clinton's lead?

We started this segment with a clip from Hillary Clinton's senior advisor Alec Ross, making an argument for Ottawa to lift the cloak of secrecy with the well crafted tweet and informed hash tag.

Our next guest believes Twiplomacy is the perfect way for a middle power such as Canada to gain influence.

Renée Filiatrault served as Senior Public Diplomacy Officer in Afghanistan with Task Force Kandahar from 2009-2010. Before that, she served two ministers of National Defence. She joined us from Ottawa.

Twiplomacy: Should Canada follow Hillary Clinton's lead?

Our next guest isn't convinced 140 characters of information has that much power to calm a troubled world.

Michael Bell has held many positions in the Canadian Foreign Service, including Ambassador to Jordan, Egypt and Israel. He is currently the Paul Martin Senior Scholar in International Relations at the University of Windsor. And he joined us from our Windsor studio.

The Current invited the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to speak on the program today, but a spokesperson was not made available .

This segment was produced by The Current's Shannon Higgins, Pacinthe Mattar, Idella Sturino and our intern Joan Piloya.

Other segments from today's show:

Inside the Syrian Civil War: Nelofer Pazira

South African Miners Demand Higher Wages