My Op-Ed in Ottawa Citizen, Vancouver Sun and other papers "A study in presidential contrasts"

Vaclav Havel and Kim Jong-il, both of whom died last weekend, personified an extreme contrast in leadership styles. Each man oversaw a nation's response to the dashing of the hope for human dignity and justice that the Marxist-Leninist paradigm once offered. But the ways each went about it could not have been more different.


A study in presidential contrasts

Chinese President Heading to Pyongyang for Funeral

@adriennemong: S Korean media reporting no foreign delegates attending Kim Jong-il's funeral BUT Chinese President Hu Jintao will be going.

An ex-ambassador in Beijing: Master of ping-ping diplomacy | The Economist

An ex-ambassador in Beijing: Master of ping-ping diplomacy | The Economist

"We have never seen in world history, with Nazi Germany perhaps to one side, a global economic power that has stood so far apart from the international norms of social and political organisation, so it's something different. It really, really is different," Mr Raby said.

CBC.ca News - Chinese cyberspies stealing key data, U.S. analysts say

http://www.cbc.ca/m/rich/technology/ story/2011/12/12/china-hackers-us.html

Canada Marks Human Rights Day

Canada Marks Human Rights Day

(No. 365 - December 9, 2011 - 11:30 a.m. ET) Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement on the occasion of Human Rights Day:

“2011 was a landmark year for human rights, we saw hundreds of thousands of people step forward in the face of violent repression to claim their rights.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world where basic human rights are not always upheld. Innocent people are continually persecuted for their sexual orientation, their political affiliation and their religious beliefs. Human rights defenders are punished and tortured for working to create a world where the rights of all people, including women and girls, are protected and enjoyed.

“We are too often witness to violations of the right to freedom of religion. The history of humanity has proven that religious freedom and democratic freedom are inseparable. One of Canada’s key priorities, therefore, is to establish an Office of Religious Freedom. We announced our intention to do so in the Speech from the Throne on June 3, 2011, and I repeated that commitment at the United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2011.

“Canada will continue to work tirelessly to promote human rights around the world. On December 10 we both mark this important day and recommit ourselves to working toward freedom, democracy and human rights for all people.”

Baird to review Rights and Democracy mandate | Canada | News | London Free Press

Baird to review Rights and Democracy mandate | Canada | News | London Free Press

The feds want to revisit the role of the troubled Rights and Democracy agency and boost its democracy-building efforts overseas, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Thursday.