Presidents

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are appearing in Toronto today in an event billed as “A Conversation with Presidents.” Tickets aren’t cheap (though the word is that the economy is hindering sales and prices have been dropping). Can you imagine the equivalent occurring in the States—“A Conversation with Prime Ministers”? A double bill of Brian Mulroney and Jean Chretien--we’d have to pay to get Americans to come, or offer them free maple syrup, or an autographed photo of Pamela Anderson wearing a mountie uniform. Of course, this begs the question of why Canadians go to such “conversations” in the first place. The business class, it seems, are the ones most interested; perhaps they’re intrigued by these ultimate CEOs and Deciders who have a Rolodex (yes, I know I’m dating myself here) of the well-heeled and well-connected. In contrast, the Canadian Prime Minister rules over a northern country with a GDP of no more than the state of California, and who in their right mind would want to hear the Governor of California? (Ooops, scratch that.) The President of the day is the holder of the one political position—more so than the Prime Minister of Canada—that most influences the success of Canadian enterprises. But ex-Presidents? Paying big bucks to see ex-Presidents? I’m tempted to say, “Canada, get a life.” But I won’t.