The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
NEW YORK - Fit and frisky, Allan Rock, Canada's Ambassador to the United Nations, sits in his 14th floor office deep in Manhattan and thinks about his first year in office. Q. What is your biggest surprise coming to New York? Coming to America? You didn't know about this land, these people. A. Biggest surprise is how obscure Canada is when you come to New York. I mean people don't talk about it, are unaware of what is going on in our country, because they don't even follow the most spectacular political developments and you have to look hard for Canadian news. Thank goodness for the Internet so I can keep in touch with what's going on. They really do live in their own world. Q. What's the best thing about living in New York? A. Well, Carnegie Hall. It's the best thing about living in New York.Ê And theatre. And the constant access to interesting people. I must get five invitations a day. To breakfast, to the Carnegie Council, authors sending me books, luncheon addresses by former presidential advisors Ñ this is the crossroads of the world, the artistic world, the intellectual world, the financial world.Ê See 'Canada' P.# Con't from P.# Q. What do you miss of Canada? A. I miss hockey but I guess we all miss that. I sometimes miss obviously the friendships. I left everything behind. I still have two kids in Ottawa in Grade 12, boarding. So I miss them. But I miss politics. I miss being part of the action. And I miss the feeling that I am at the table. Q. How much did the McKenna comment hurt? Obscure the message? A. I don't think at the end of the day that it makes a lot difference what Ambassador McKenna said. He expressed a personal view on the effect of the NORAD agreement. Q. How much did it hurt Canada's prestige that we wouldn't go to Iraq? A. It enhanced our prestige very considerably. I arrived in Jan. 2004, and there were still people, almost a year after the event, coming up to me, representatives from other nations, thanking Canada for our courage in making that decision. Q. How many people do you have on your staff? A. About 43 people. About 28 of them Canadians and the others locally engaged. Q. I was astounded when Pam Wallin came down here as Canadian Consul-General to find out she has 70 people. A. She has 70 people, plus her, which makes a total of 1,000. Because she has so much energy and does a fabulous job. Q. Do you want to be Prime Minister? A. Who wouldn't? It's a fabulous job. Q. I wouldn't. A. Are you serious? It's a fabulous job. It offers such opportunities to do things, and get things done. But the job is taken and will be for some time. Q. I just want to get that on the record because a lot of people in Canada knew of your problem four years ago and you look great and are in good health? ÊA. You and I were both very lucky. In my case, it was prostate cancer but it was caught before it spread and removing the gland was a complete cure and thank God I am restored to good health Ñ still running most days, going to the gym, keeping a full schedule. And on top of that I have to work on saving the world.
