bout de papier, Vol. 9, No. 1 (1992) — Winter 1992 // Hiver 1992, pp. 38–39
The long-awaited, much heralded Foreign Service Academy has opened its doors for business. This is great news for Foreign Service officers who have argued for years for an institute to provide ongoing professional upgrading. At the first annual Homecoming Football Game between recently laid-off EX’s and the Workforce Adjustment retirees, journalists were invited to tour the facility, meet the professors and listen in on some courses.
The Chancellor’s Office
The back of the black leather chair faces visitors as they enter the Chancellor’s office. Brown patent shoes and dark socks can be seen resting on the window ledge. Suddenly, the chair swivels, and the raw energy and boyish face of the Chancellor of the Academy burst into view.
“Hi, I’m Bob Graubecker. Glad you made it. I’ll be brief. We organized this open house to show you that the Foreign Service is changing. It’s learning new skills. It’s adapting to new circumstances.”
Slapping the palm of his hand hard on the desk, Graubecker looks intently at his visitors. “We are in the business of promoting “New Thinking” on foreign policy. No-one over 35 can be trusted. Out with the old ways of thinking and doing business. This Academy is meant to see to that.
“So, feel free to wander around, drop in on some courses, and ask questions. Are there any questions? No? Good!” And with that, Graubecker swivels around again and continues dictating on one machine, while drafting on his PC with an eye glued to a television in the corner and two phones connected to his ears.
FOR POL 506: History of the “Talking Point”
The attention of the small class is riveted on a thin man in a slightly rumpled suit at the front of the room who is flipping through his lecture notes. The intensity of the classroom is palatable. Word has it that this graduate seminar is a make it or break it course.
“Now, one can quite clearly see that the P.M.’s talking points for the Toronto Economic Summit represented a monumental breakthrough in the evolution of this genre — much like Manet’s “Nudes at a Picnic” was for the Impressionist movement. Here we see that the “talking point” no longer takes a back seat to the analysis or content of the briefing note. It asserts itself fully. It becomes the id, the actor, the message or action personified. It is policy. It is no longer a pallid reflection of some dreary analysis or thinkpiece.”
The lecturer continues, “As significant as the assertion of its own personality, the “Toronto Summit talking point” will be best remembered for its landmark contribution to the stylistic evolution of the genre: sharp and clean, with no frills or adornment. Much like architecture and painting before it, the talking point had reached the pinnacle of simplicity and clarity. And since then, the talking point has evolved still further — there is no verb, no articles, usually only one or two nouns and that’s it!”
One of the students interjects. “But, Paul, is it art? Is it true policy? Are we not going too far?”
The lecturer pauses. “Look. You’ve gone through an extensive reading list of the talking points of the great masters for this course — Robinson, Marchand, Taylor, Chrétien, Shortliffe, Burney, Stanford. It’s all great literature. We have examined in detail the different schools of talk, from the Conversationalists to the Turgid Prousts; from the Constipationists to the Inchoatists. We are in a phase now of abstract expressionalism and it works.”
FOR POL 568: Foreign-Policy Making
Students are huddled outside the classroom, clutching coffee in styrofoam cups and engaged in intense, sibilant conversation. This is yet another core course at the Academy. The course material is obviously difficult.
“Spin on the issue”, groans one puzzled officer to a colleague, “does that mean going around in circles on policy or speaking on all sides at once? I just don’t understand.”
The lecturer, sporting a bright scarf with her blazer, bangs her hand on the lectern, and adjusts her sunglasses as the students return hurriedly to the lecture hall. Giselle Boucher, media consultant, gives the course on Foreign-Policy Making and has published extensively in Les Nouvelles du Thurso, Le Soleil, Le Journal de Ste-Anne de Beaupré and La Semaine de Quatre Jeudis.
“Now guys and gals, moving on to making foreign policy work, let’s look at how it’s done, how it was done before, and how it’s changed. You know — that kinda stuff.
“First, an historical snapshot. From my readings in the old days, I would say that foreign policy was made by stuffy old British types who were used to discussing philosophy at Oxford, but then eventually needed a real job. They’d dream up some foreign policy in their offices up in the Attic at the East Block without really talking to anyone and then simply slip a note to the PM, whether King, St. Laurent, or Diefenbaker.
“Trudeau changed that old boys rubbish. He created a herd of Cabinet Committees and a bevy of interdepartmental meetings of Deputies and public Task Forces. External got into that mode. It produced long strategic overviews, lengthy political analyses, policy frameworks, and conceptual constructs. Goodness, you had to read 20 pages before you could even get to the message.”
Boucher rocks back on her heels. “O’Brien, what is the most crucial determinant in foreign policy-making today? How would you make policy today?”
Jock O’Brien responds hesitantly. “Let’s see. After consultations within the Department and other Departments and with stakeholders in the community, I would draft a strategic overview of Canadian interests based on careful analysis of the pros and cons and recommend a coherent policy of priorities and objectives.”
“Old thinking there, O’Brien”, Boucher scoffs. “Anyone else? Come on, folks, get with it. Ever hear of the “media is the message”? That’s right, gang — just identify a media event, write a catchy speech, fill it with initiatives, and make sure you don’t run it by too many people in your bureaucracy, otherwise, they will water down the purity of your thoughts.”
FOR POL 228: Interpersonal Skills
The guest lecturer is a member of External Affairs’ senior management. The previous day, Sondra Gotlieb had delivered a course on dealing with protocol officers. Today’s course focuses on External’s image.
“External Affairs is full of talented officers; hard-working professionals.” He stops, looks around the classroom, his glasses magnifying the intensity of his gaze. “But in this town, perception is reality. And the perception of External is that it is arrogant, aloof and dismissive. That’s got to change.
“Martine, tell me how you would deal with an urgent, last-minute request from another Department to our Department to broaden the objectives of a trade mission, let’s say, to Korea?”
Martine Godworth, Desk Officer in the Asia Division, responds confidently: “Easy, sir. I would tell him that his request is too late; the Minister’s agenda is set. His department was consulted at an early stage, and their views were duly noted at the time. They were informed that, regrettably, their proposals lacked the analytical rigour which is the norm at External. Finally, that in any case, our strategic overview of Canadian economic and commercial interests does not foresee any immediate involvement of their department in the bilateral relations of that country or, at least, not for the next five years.”
The professor slowly buries his head in his hands.
The Tour is Over
On their way out, the journalists look briefly in on several other classes. In one room, officers are practising press scrums; their elbows up, shoving, pushing, but, nevertheless, blurting out the right “sound bites”. In another room, officers are giving high 5’s to imaginary foreign guests, abandoning the traditional handshake at the airport….
The journalists step out the front door of the Academy. The sun shines brightly after a morning in class. One says, “Well, that was fascinating. I guess the Foreign Service Academy is really teaching “New Thinking”.
His colleague responds “Yeah, I agree. I guess my only question concerns the location. It is strange that External Affairs could not have found another place for the Academy. But then, perhaps the only remaining office space in Ottawa was there — the Privy Council Office.
View the original scanned pages →
Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 9, No. 1 (1992) — Winter 1992 // Hiver 1992, pp. 38–39. Read the rest of this issue →
