Mr. Rajotte goes to Washington

It seems fitting, before discussing the intricate and somewhat frayed bilateral relationship between Canada and the United States, to first acknowledge the recent passing of Allan Gotlieb, an esteemed public servant, a visionary diplomat, and Canada’s longest-serving ambassador to the United States (1981-1989). And while the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War have long passed, today’s Canadian representatives in D.C. face an equally enormous task of promoting and defending the interests of Canada in a country that is very much divided politically, grappling with the fallout of COVID-19, and only six short months away from a presidential election. One of the newest members of that diplomatic corps is, of course, James Rajotte, who was recently named by Premier Jason Kenney to be Alberta’s senior representative in Washington, a role he officially began on May 1. A seasoned Parliamentarian in his own right, having served 15 years as the Member of Parliament from Edmonton-Leduc, Rajotte will need to quickly rally his diplomatic skills to engage with a Donald Trump administration whose handling of the COVID-19 crisis has created a veritable political crisis. President Trump’s national favourability rating, which has been notably stable throughout his presidency, has taken a hit, with a Gallup poll reporting a 49 per cent approval rating. The state-by-state picture is even more alarming to the Republican Party, with signs of weakness not only in the key midwestern swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, but traditional Republican strongholds, like Georgia and Texas, as well. In an effort to animate his base, President Trump has taken on governors across the country, picking fights with Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan) for being too cautious, Governor Brian Kemp (R-Georgia) for being too cavalier, and Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-New York) for simply taking charge in the epicentre of the crisis. How the next six months play out is anyone’s guess, but without the tailwind of a strong economy and the likelihood of job growth in the face of an enormous economic recovery, President Trump’s political team has cause for concern. Needless to say, Rajotte will have a challenge on his hands finding his footing with an administration preoccupied with the politics of survival. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, pictured speaking at a Canadian Club of Ottawa lunch in Ottawa on Dec. 9, 2019, emphasized the significance of sub-national relationships and highlighted the value in working collaboratively with energy-producing states in announcing James Rajotte’s appointment. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade The ascendancy of Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee is another challenge that the new Alberta representative and Premier Kenney will have to navigate. As Biden consolidates his base and works tactfully with the left-leaning Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez contingent of the party to develop his national platform, look for more progressive energy and environmental policies to emerge. Throughout the primary season, both Biden and Sanders agreed on imposing new restrictions on oil and gas development and regulating the industry more forcefully. But as Biden’s path to net-zero emissions by 2050 becomes clearer, Alberta’s representative will have to grapple with what this means for a province that still sends the vast majority of its energy exports south of the border. Perhaps this is why, in announcing Rajotte’s appointment and the importance of developing an integrated North American energy strategy, Premier Kenney emphasized the significance of sub-national relationships and highlighted the value in working collaboratively with energy-producing states like Texas, North Dakota, and others to develop an energy strategy that effectively promotes Alberta’s interests. Rajotte faces equally complex sequential and administrative challenges in the next term. He will have to quickly engage American stakeholders at a time when both countries are still grappling with an unprecedented public health crisis and social distancing guidelines are still in effect. Building relationships is central to the success of the job. He will have to turn his attention to preserving the critical trade relationship between Alberta and the U.S. While essential services and cross-border commercial trade have largely been protected, the significance of the border closure to the tourism and hospitality industry will become all the more apparent as we roll into the summer months. Supply chain management and product inspection issues will surely be on his radar screen, especially in the agricultural sector, as processing plants and facilities on both sides of the border struggle to contain workplace COVID-19 outbreaks. The challenges are real, but it is important to reflect on the fact that Alberta has the longest-standing official U.S. presence of any province in Canada, and has invested wisely in the development and cultivation of relationships throughout the United States. Advancing the interests of Alberta while navigating the administrative and policy challenges of COVID-19 and the political upheaval characteristic of a presidential election year is a tall order. Rajotte has a good base to start from, the experience to do well, and certainly Premier Kenney’s confidence as he enters these unchartered waters. Perhaps he need only add the ingenuity and innovation in the practice of public diplomacy for which Gotlieb was so famously known. Monique Smith is a senior associate with Global Public Affairs, with a focus on Canada-U.S. relations. Smith was Ontario’s first Representative to Washington and has previously served as Ontario’s minister of intergovernmental affairs, government House leader, minister of tourism, and minister of revenue. The Hill Times