[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 16, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S1448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR MICHAEL KERGIN

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to honor an individual who 
is a credit to his nation, his government, and the office in which he 
serves. He has earned the admiration and appreciation of his staff, the 
respect of his colleagues, and the friendship of many of us here in 
Washington. Sadly, he is also a man whose current service in our 
Nation's Capital has come to an end, and he will soon be departing to 
return home. The man I am speaking of this morning is Canada's 
Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Michael Kergin.
  At the end of February, Ambassador Kergin will be returning to Canada 
after serving admirably here in Washington for the past 4-plus years. 
He assumed his position in October of 2000, just the 19th 
representative to the United States for our northern neighbor--our 
eastern neighbor for those of us in Alaska. His background prior to 
serving as Ambassador to the United States is impressive.
  He was born in a Canadian military hospital in England. Ambassador 
Kergin joined the Canadian Department of External Affairs in 1967. He 
served in New York, Cameroon, and Chile. He was Ambassador to Cuba from 
1986 to 1989. In 1998, Ambassador Kergin was asked by Prime Minister 
Jean Chretian to serve as his Foreign Policy Adviser as well as 
Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Foreign and Defense Policy--the 
equivalent of our National Security Adviser.
  It is from this background that Ambassador Kergin drew when the 
terrorists attacked on September 11, 2001. If you were to ask the 
Ambassador about his most memorable activities while here in 
Washington, working with his U.S. counterparts to prevent further 
terrorist attacks would rank toward the top of that list--taking our 
border relations to the next level to fight terrorism by implementing 
the Smart Border Process to keep terrorists out while allowing for the 
legitimate flow of commerce and visitors between our nations.
  It is appropriate to remember, as we are again considering 
comprehensive energy legislation, that Ambassador Kergin played a key 
role in the aftermath of the August 2003 blackout that hit the 
Northeast through the Canada-United States Power Outage Task Force, 
which was to improve our integrated electricity grid.
  I would also be remiss if I did not mention the Ambassador's work to 
develop natural gas pipelines from both Canada's MacKenzie Delta and 
Alaska's North Slope to meet our common energy needs.
  Mr. President, many of my colleagues from the West are quick to point 
out the differences between Eastern and Western United States. Canada 
is much the same. And when you look at a map, it is readily apparent 
that the seats of government for both nations are very much in the 
East. So it was a pleasant surprise for me when I first met Ambassador 
Kergin to learn that he was from British Columbia. When Alaskans speak 
about fishing or timber or mining issues, he gets it. He understands 
the Alaskans' point of view.
  I look forward to working with Ambassador Kergin's successor, but I 
will also miss the good Ambassador's presence here in Washington, DC.
  So I would like to say to him: Mr. Ambassador, thank you for your 
service in our Nation's Capital, and thank you for your willingness to 
work so closely with Congress and the American people to continue our 
strong relationship.
  With that, Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Murkowski). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be 
allowed to speak for 15 minutes in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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