CALGARY — Former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice publicly thanked Canadians for their friendship and for their sacrifices in Afghanistan as she spoke at a gala in Calgary on Wednesday night.
Rice was invited to help open the new School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary and gave a 30-minute speech in which she discussed international relations between Canada and the U.S. as well as the ongoing problem in Pakistan.
“I just want to say one thing to you as people of Canada ... thank you, thank you, thank you for what you’ve done in Afghanistan,” she said to loud applause.
“I know how hard it has been to see men and women cut down in the prime of their lives because every life is a mother, a daughter, or a son or a father. But we all know that nothing of value is ever achieved without sacrifice.”
There have been 118 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat who have died in Afghanistan since the conflict began in the war-torn country.
Rice also touched on the current battles between the Taliban and security forces of the government of Pakistan which she says “is troubled to say the least.”
She said one thing in Pakistan’s favour is it finally has a legitimate civilian government which needs international support including Canada and the United States.
“You’ve got to help the Pakistani army train to fight the fight that they are actually in. Right now they are very much trained to fight India but they need to be trained in counter-insurgency to fight the Taliban,” she stressed.
“We should all hold our breath and say a little prayer that they make it through this latest set of encounters with the Taliban because when the Taliban starts 16 kilometres from Islamabad, you’ve got a big problem.”
Rice’s visit was a far cry from that of former U.S. president George W. Bush to Calgary two months ago.
Bush was greeted by angry protesters but the arrival of Rice drew only about two dozen protesters in front of the Hyatt Regency, where about 1,100 people paid $500 per plate for dinner Wednesday night.
“Condi Rice, not very nice,” chanted the small crowd.
“For me it is a nationalist kind of situation,” said Rick Collier, holding a sign that said: “Yankee Going Home.”
“I opposed George Bush coming here and I oppose Condoleezza Rice coming here because they leave behind them a whole fleet of ideas that will put an imprint of their own economy and their own ideas in this country.”
Rice, who was presented with a Calgary Flames jersey with the number nine and her name on it by Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier, met privately earlier in the day with Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.
The Alberta premier said they discussed the environment and hockey, as well as foreign policy and how his government should deal with U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration on climate change.
“She suggested we follow through on meeting with governors who are important in energy-producing states and also working with the Obama administration similar to what we’re doing,” Stelmach told reporters.
“She was impressed with what we’ve done on the environment and said we’ve got to get the message out. She did extend an invitation to me personally to visit her at Stanford University.
“And also we should share the fact that affordable energy is key to both the United States and Canada in building our economy.”