I think that as Canadians we have a very bad opinion of our politicians that's unwarranted and not helpful, but that is not the way Canadian politicians are seen in many of these countries--either politicians or the Governor General. If the Governor General, the minister for industry and trade, or a former prime minister were to go to Yemen, they would roll out the red carpet. These are very important and significant symbols, and you're showing respect for those governments. As Canadians we think that if it's an MP or a minister, the best we can do is yell and holler at them and insult them. That's not the way it is in many parts of the world, and we should put ourselves in their shoes to understand what is really needed there.
On February 27th, 2007. See this statement in context.