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June 27, 2008
A commonality of interests
Outgoing ambassador talks about Canada-Israel relations.
RON FRIEDMAN
Birthdays are often a time to take stock and, as Canada Day approaches, the Jewish Independent interviewed Alan Baker, the Israeli ambassador to Canada, about what he thinks about the ties between the two countries. Since Baker will be leaving his position in September – he held his farewell reception in Ottawa on Wednesday – it was also a good opportunity to hear his impressions. Baker will be replaced by Miriam Ziv once she presents her credentials in Ottawa.
JI: How would you characterize the current relationship between Canada and Israel?
AB: I think that the relationship between Canada and Israel is better than it's ever been. I think the present Canadian government is very positive from the point of view of supporting Israel and, for me, of course, as ambassador, it's a very gratifying thing to see the Canadian prime minister and ministers holding favorable views of Israel.
There has been an extensive exchange of ministerial visits and cooperation between the two countries. We have just recently signed a series of understandings on public safety, terrorism and things like that. There is cooperation in the military sphere. There has been a rise in tourism between the two countries. The bilateral trade relations are also improving. But there is also a lot of room for improvement.
There is a free trade agreement between Canada and Israel that is underutilized. Israel has become a major target for foreign investment – you've got people like Warren Buffet who are investing billions of dollars in Israeli companies. The Canadians would probably do very well considering investing in Israel, which is something I've been trying to encourage. We've reestablished the Canada-Israel chamber of commerce and we're trying to enhance the volume of commerce and trade between Canadian companies and Israeli companies.
JI: What do you think is the main cause for the good relationship between the two countries?
AB: I think it's a realization within the Canadian government, but also in the public, of the commonality of interests between Canada and Israel. They're both liberal democracies, they're both countries based on immigration, we both have dual languages – in Israel's case, it's Arabic and Hebrew; in Canada's, it's English and French – we both have diverse cultures and populations and religions, our legal systems are based on the same principles and we're both facing problems of terrorism, so I think there is so much in common that it is only natural that Canada and Israel have a very solid relationship.
JI: Canada is about to celebrate its 141st birthday and Israel has recently celebrated its 60th, do you see Canada as a model for Israeli development?
AB: Absolutely! And we're doing so in many ways. We are in the process of drafting a constitution and we're modelling it on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We really wish that we would be in the same position as Canada, from the point of view of not being threatened and being able to live in a very quiet and calm manner. Sometimes when I read the daily newspapers, I feel very envious. Whilst Canadians will complain that things are too quiet, we envy that.
JI: In the years that you have been in office, what would you say has been your biggest challenge?
AB: There are two major challenges – one is the campuses and the other is the media. I try to concentrate on speaking at the campuses, because I think that is where the action is, that's where people's minds are being molded and the Muslim and the left-wing anti-Israel elements are concentrating on the campuses to try and influence the younger generation. I think that the Jewish community in Canada and all of us have to work very hard to give the Jewish students on campus the tools that they need to be able to deal with these challenges. And these tools aren't always available – the information, the answers and the financial capabilities to bring good people to speak and to counter the type of propaganda that is being spread – this is a problem that needs to be solved.
The other problem is the media. I've had a constant battle with the perceptions that one gets from reading the media, the newspapers, or from watching CBC or CTV, which is often very nuanced and the reporting is very selective – especially the reporting coming from Israel. The correspondents who report from the Middle East usually report in a very manipulative and nuanced way. Now maybe that's because newspapers need to sell, so it's an economic proposition. They have to show blood and guts and stuff that will bring people to buy and increase ratings, rather than the everyday, the day-to-day, dull information, like Israel's advances in high-tech or the fact that Israel invented the cherry tomato; the scientific advances, all these things that have turned Israel into a superpower in high-tech, medical technology, agricultural technology and water development. The average Canadian only sees fighting or bombings, so he or she doesn't always get the real picture. Now this is something that frustrated me at the very beginning and continues to frustrate me.
JI: While Canada prides itself on being multiculturalists, certain occurrences of anti-Semitism, like the one that happened in Kelowna, B.C., last weekend, continue to take place. Is that something with which you, as the Israeli ambassador, are concerned?
AB: Of course. First of all, the connection between the embassy and the Jewish community throughout Canada is a very strong connection, it's unique. I don't think there is any other ambassador that has a similar connection with a community within Canada. So, when there are signs of ant-Semitism or cases like this, then it's very important to us as well – as is Jewish education and education about Israel and things like that, because the younger generation are the future leaders of the Jewish community and the future leaders of Canada. All these things are very important and we are in contact with the Canadian legal authorities and the public safety people, including on matters like this.
JI: What is the single most important piece of advice that you would leave to your replacement?
AB: That's a difficult question. I'm preparing a long list of suggestions both from the point of view of dealing with the Jewish community, dealing with the students, dealing with the media and dealing with the Canadian political scene. There's no one specific piece of advice, just to maintain the excellent, warm, close relationship.
JI: Do you know what you're going to be doing after you finish your term in September?
AB: No, I haven't been offered any job yet.
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