Not long ago Harper ordered some military rebranding to add"Royal" again before the titles of the Canadian air force and navy. Something going on we don't know about? I wonder what Quebec will have to say about this?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2 ... ssies.html
Ottawa to open joint U.K.-Canadian diplomatic missions abroad
British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will sign an agreement to open joint U.K.-Canadian diplomatic missions abroad in Ottawa on Monday, CBC News has learned.
"As the Prime Minister [David Cameron] said when addressing the Canadian parliament last year: 'We are two nations, but under one Queen and united by one set of values,'" Hague said in a written statement to CBC News.
"We have stood shoulder to shoulder from the great wars of the last century to fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and supporting Arab Spring Nations like Libya and Syria. We are first cousins."
"It is natural that we look to link up our embassies with Canada’s in places where that suits both countries. It will give us a bigger reach abroad for our businesses and people for less cost," Hague said.
Gar Pardy, a former head of Canadian consular services, told CBC News that sharing diplomatic and consular services with other countries can work and save the Canadian government a considerable amount of money along the way.
For instance, Canada has already been providing services to Australia in 26 locations around the world and vice-versa for years and that, according to Pardy, has saved the Canadian government "hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Hague hopes other Commonwealth countries like Australia and New Zealand will join the U.K.-Canada iniative so they can pool their resources and extend their reach abroad.
"I think the key to it [the joint U.K.-Canada deal] will be the functions that will be performed under such an agreement," said Pardy in a telephone interview with CBC News.
While Baird would not comment on the deal, a spokesperson for the minister of foreign affairs told CBC News that Baird and Hague will be available to answer questions from the media on Monday afternoon in the Foyer of the House of Commons.
The Conservatives, in the last budget, said they would restructure Canadian government offices, foreign properties and missions abroad "to provide better value for money and results for Canadians."
