Next U.S. envoy to Canada less confrontational, observers say

Last Updated: Thursday, April 28, 2005 | 9:41 PM ET

CBC News

The man tipped to be the next U.S. ambassador to Canada admits he doesn't know much about his northern neighbour, while observers say he's likely to bring a more subdued style than his predecessor.

• INDEPTH: David Wilkins

President George W. Bush on Wednesday officially nominated David Wilkins, 58, the Speaker of South Carolina's legislature and staunch Republican ally with close ties to the Bush family.

David Wilkins addresses to the house his acceptance of Bush's nomination to be ambassador to Canada, Thursday. (AP Photo)

On Thursday, to a standing ovation in the South Carolina Assembly, Wilkins began to say his good-byes: "President Bush has nominated me to serve as United States ambassador to Canada, our friend and neighbour to the north."

That was his only reference to Canada during his five-minute address.

Wilkins has no experience in U.S.-Canada relations and political observers said he didn't seem to have any interest in Canada up to now – with the possible exception of the longstanding trade dispute over softwood lumber. South Carolina is a big lumber state.

The southerner admits his lack of knowledge about the country, which he has visited just once – in the 1970s.

However, he said he's reading as much as he can and looking forward to what he called an "exciting ... and wonderful opportunity."

"I pledge to work every bit as hard in my new post as I have as a South Carolina lawmaker. My highest goal is to bring honour to my country and to the nation of Canada."

On Thursday, when asked by CBC News where maple syrup comes from, and whether he could hum a few bars of O Canada, Wilkins replied that he'd prefer to wait till his nomination is confirmed before answering.

Good friend in bad times: Bush

Wilkins has been a key fundraiser and organizer for the Bush family, at the very centre of where the Republican party's roots and power are deepest – in the South.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, he worked for George H. W. Bush. By 2000 and again in 2004, Wilkins led the winning election campaigns in his state for George W. Bush. The two have often shared a stage, as well as a meal with each other's families.

Wilkins strongly supported Bush's deep tax cuts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are blessed in this time of danger," he once said. "Our commander-in-chief is a man of courage."

Bush made equally friendly comments. "I appreciate my friend David Wilkins. He's the kind of friend that is with you when times are good and when times are bad."

Over the years, Wilkins has done so much for Bush that he could afford to wait for the reward he wanted, political observers say.

He turned down the ambassador's job in Chile, along with an offer of an appointment to the Federal Court, in favour of what remains one of the plum postings for a U.S. diplomat – ambassador to Canada.

Ties to Bush a big asset: former envoy

Wilkins may be a novice diplomat – with a drawl and a cultural sensibility that many Canadians could find disconcerting – but he is connected.

'It's important to have a representative to Ottawa who has the ability to break through all of the noise in Washington and reach the highest levels of our government.'

Gordon Giffin, Washington's man in Ottawa in the later years of the Clinton administration, calls Wilkins' close ties to Bush an undeniable asset.

"It's important to have a representative to Ottawa who has the ability to break through all of the noise in Washington and reach the highest levels of our government."

Less confrontational style than Cellucci

Wilkins' other asset may be his manner, political observers say.

He replaces Paul Cellucci, who often lectured Ottawa – and Canadians – over Iraq, low levels of defence spending and ballistic missile defence.

Like a number of political observers, Aaron Sheinin, a reporter with the South Carolina newspaper The State, says Wilkins will bring a different style.

"He is a good mediator and a good consensus builder. I would suspect that Ambassador Wilkins' idea would be to try and find common ground."

In the end, Wilkins, like all U.S. diplomats, is likely to be more a messenger of the administration's policy than one who makes or shapes that policy.

His appointment still has to be approved by the U.S. Senate.