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| Rene A. Henry |
In 1976, Canada spent millions to honor the U.S. on its 200th birthday. I was thrilled that Canada’s Minister of State of External Affairs hired my ICPR Los Angeles headquartered public relations firm to help with the celebration.
The New Year’s Day Rose Parade was a kickoff. Canada had a large and elaborate float that won parade honors. As part of Canada’s “Salute to the US Bicentennial,” a troop of Royal Mounted Police and a brass band marched in the widely televised parade.
The Mounties and the brass band were scheduled for numerous public events throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area that included a day in Disneyland. Celebrations showing Canada’s love and friendship for the U,S. continued throughout the year and in locations all across the border.
The Canadian Film Board published a magnificent table top book, “Entre Amis,” that had memorable photographs from coast-to-coast across the U.S.-Canada border.
My primary client contact was a since-retired Canadian diplomat, Philippe Cinq-Mars, and we have been friends for more than 50 years. Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles was Donald Gilchrist, who happened be a hall-of-fame figure skater who served the sport for more than 40 years as a prominent international judge.
I doubt if Canada will spend a penny to honor the U.S. on its 250th anniversary. All that our government has done to destroy the love and friendship from our greatest ally will take decades to restore.
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Rene A. Henry is the author of 10 books and writes on a variety of subjects.
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