Ottawa to Close 4 Embassies in Africa

[Bob]

My own ideas for consulates aside, the benifit is building working relationships with the government, as well as the potential to reduce costs of moving people to the country on an individual basis on an as needed basis.

Example. 10 people on a mission to discus trade might cost $50,000, while operating 10 people in that area for the same time period might only cost $20,000. The main benefit is a greater assurance of actuality. That is you can confirm who you are communicating with. Due to an ongoing situational verification.

Here are some of the Tunisia comments

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/tunisia-tunisie/offices-bureaux/ambassador_msg_ambassadeur.aspx?lang=eng

You might like to look at the ambassadors that are planned to be withdrawn rather than the countries themselves.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=18&ved=0CEwQFjAHOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.investirentunisie.info%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D3977%3Ale-canada-soutient-les-africains-a-partir-de-la-tunisie%26catid%3D37%26Itemid%3D174&rct=j&q=Ariel%20Delouya%20biography&ei=JdLfTNrzFYWlngfKsdSKDw&usg=AFQjCNEY9O1jtSk3BW2vcEKpHO53_rEO4A&sig2=VNAtE22c5raXU8z-2ViONg&cad=rja

Tunisia has a 50 year history for example.

I'm all for regionalization of ambassadors based on supraorganizational frame works, but one where consulates operate where providing an overall net economic benefit to Canada - while having the rest able to be franchised to people who purchase the right (or where it is possible on a self sufficiency basis by that person or persons undertaking the mission)- as well as undergo a basic training program, and provide certain services to Canadians for free.

A mission is also a potential sanctuary and has certain legal benefits as well as confers certain legal benefits on Canadians involved with a diplomatic mission - that may enable them to be more empowered to achieve a given missions objective.

Although one must realize Canada's two ought be strongest allies the UK and America - as well as the commonwealth - serve as seconds in the absence of diplomatic or consular support services in a particular area, on a working agreement basis. There is also the potential to work with another country on mission sharing also.. although this may add legal complexities.

I like to think that I am intelligent guy, but most of what your wrote above is either above my head or just wishy-washy unintelligible mumbo-jumbo. You're speaking too broadly about these things. If there are strong, solid, specific supports for the maintenance (or even expansion) of Canadian diplomatic operations in the African countries you mentioned in the form of embassies, please make them. If you're familiar with these issues and are willing to tell us why it's a mistake for Canada to close these embassies, then please, elaborate. Have you got some specifics to share?

An interesting observation, the Canadian ambassador to Tunisia is Jewish. I noticed that as soon as I read his name: Ariel DeLouya. Thankfully, he also married a Jewish woman.