Yes, certainly with foreign ministers, and on occasion, in situations such as the Summit of the Americas, or a couple of weeks ago, when I was Buenos Aires representing the Prime Minister for the bicentennial celebrations. Most of the neighbouring countries were represented by heads of government, and I was included, and mi español insuficiente was no barrier to conversations and discussions.
Canada is recognized. I was at the inauguration in Chile a couple of months ago and I was told by the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, as President Bachelet, the outgoing president, told me a couple of days earlier, that in fact Canada's free trade agreement with Chile in 1997 is the model on which their dozens of free trade agreements since are still based today.
Ours needs to be contemporized. We're about to modernize our free trade agreement with Costa Rica, for example, to recognize changing times.
But Canada is a well-respected friend, even in countries where we have differences. I've visited Nicaragua and spent time with President Ortega in a couple of situations. A year ago, when I raised Canada's concerns about the interference in the municipal elections the previous year, he argued back quite forcefully, but when I asked about his thoughts on Canada's candidacy for the non-permanent seat on the Security Council, his answer was, “Who else would we support?” Canada did not break relations during the Nicaraguan war. Canada was an honest broker. Canada provided continuing humanitarian assistance and a certain amount of sympathy to the realities of that era. I think our policies and positions in the Americas are on solid ground.