August 9, 2011
On August 9, the Brazilian newspaper Fohla published a story about Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s apparently undiplomatic behavior during his visit to that country on a trade mission.
Canadians had a bit of fun on Twitter with the awkward machine translation from Google.
A Brazilian friend translated the story for me. It’s not as much fun this way, but the meaning is clearer:
Canadian Prime Minister goes to bathroom and comes out only when requirement met
Natuza Nery
Brasilia
Eliane Cantanhêde
Folha columnist
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper put Brazilian diplomats in a difficult (embarrassing) position this Monday, demanding a change in the Brazilian diplomatic protocol and only accepted to come out for lunch after his request had been accepted.
The official speeches and toasts can take place before or after lunch. Dilma (Rouseff, Brazil’s president) prefers to have these after lunch, so this is what is being done during her presidency. But Harper was adamant that it should take place before lunch. He did not explain why.
Harper had already irked Dilma’s advisors and diplomats when he announced that he wished to speak to journalists at the Palacio do Planalto (the Presidential Palace) when the protocol is generally that foreign dignitaries talk to the press at the Itamaraty (the Foreign Affairs palace).
Since Brazilian diplomats denied his request to speak to the press at the Presidential palace, Harper was already in a bad mood when he arrived for lunch. He demanded the shift in protocol at the lunch event, and locked himself in the private bathroom of ministro Antonio Patriota (Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Minister) while he waited for a reply.
Brazilian diplomats were taken aback and did not know what to do – if they should listen to Dilma’s request or to Harper. Harper arrived at the room (in the Foreign Affairs ministry) where the lunch was taking place only when Brazilian diplomats confirmed that the speeches and toasts would take place before lunch, as he had demanded.
The Canadian Embassy in Brasilia does not confirm this version of events, but the Folha has confirmed with diplomats present at the event.
Here is confirmation from Dammit Janet dated August 11
toiletbunker events confirmed.
Canadians had a bit of fun on Twitter with the awkward machine translation from Google.
A Brazilian friend translated the story for me. It’s not as much fun this way, but the meaning is clearer:
Canadian Prime Minister goes to bathroom and comes out only when requirement met
Natuza Nery
Brasilia
Eliane Cantanhêde
Folha columnist
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper put Brazilian diplomats in a difficult (embarrassing) position this Monday, demanding a change in the Brazilian diplomatic protocol and only accepted to come out for lunch after his request had been accepted.
The official speeches and toasts can take place before or after lunch. Dilma (Rouseff, Brazil’s president) prefers to have these after lunch, so this is what is being done during her presidency. But Harper was adamant that it should take place before lunch. He did not explain why.
Harper had already irked Dilma’s advisors and diplomats when he announced that he wished to speak to journalists at the Palacio do Planalto (the Presidential Palace) when the protocol is generally that foreign dignitaries talk to the press at the Itamaraty (the Foreign Affairs palace).
Since Brazilian diplomats denied his request to speak to the press at the Presidential palace, Harper was already in a bad mood when he arrived for lunch. He demanded the shift in protocol at the lunch event, and locked himself in the private bathroom of ministro Antonio Patriota (Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Minister) while he waited for a reply.
Brazilian diplomats were taken aback and did not know what to do – if they should listen to Dilma’s request or to Harper. Harper arrived at the room (in the Foreign Affairs ministry) where the lunch was taking place only when Brazilian diplomats confirmed that the speeches and toasts would take place before lunch, as he had demanded.
The Canadian Embassy in Brasilia does not confirm this version of events, but the Folha has confirmed with diplomats present at the event.
Here is confirmation from Dammit Janet dated August 11
toiletbunker events confirmed.
Here's a rough translation of an item published in Le Devoir. Diplomatic incident in Brasilia?
Lisa-Marie Gervais Canada August 11, 2011
Although denied by the Canadian Embassy, information circulating about the diplomatic incident caused on Monday by Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his visit to Brazil, are not mere rumours. A journalist respected in political circles, the Brazilian columnist Eliane Cantanhede Brazilian, who revealed the alleged blunders of Mr. Harper sticks to the story. "I confirmed the information from my sources on site," she told Le Devoir, in a telephone interview from Brasília.
The facts are described in an article co-authored with her colleague Natuza Nery in Folha de São Paulo, the most influential newspaper in the country; Stephen Harper appears to be a rude person shamelessly violating protocol. "That's inelegant of him. People found it arrogant and crude," said Ms. Cantanhede.
The reported incidents have occurred in two stages. First, the Prime Minister would have insisted to speak to Canadian journalists at the presidential palace (Planalto), against tradition that has Heads of State visitors usually addressing the press from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty). "Giving Interviews in the Planalto Palace, it is never done. All who come to visit, even Obama, speak to reporters from the Itamaraty, "said the journalist.
Official toast, before or after?
As the Brazilian authorities have refused him this privilege, Mr. Harper, upset, would have insisted to reverse part of the protocol, which is the official toast. The latter can be given before or after the meal, but the President of Brazil, Dilma Roussef, had wished to take place later. Canadian Prime Minister "demanded" it be done before and then he "locked himself in the private bathroom of foreign minister, Antonio Patriota," the article said.
"Taken off course, Brazilian diplomats did not know if they were to follow the expressed wishes of the President or give in to the capricious demands of the Canadian visitor," it said. Harper's whims eventually prevailed.
Have these events been misunderstood? Eliane Cantanhede, who was not there, says her sources are reliable. Someone present confided in her colleague Natuza Nery, who was nearby. "She told me about it and I then confirmed the information with advisors and diplomats present," she maintains.
Lisa-Marie Gervais Canada August 11, 2011
Although denied by the Canadian Embassy, information circulating about the diplomatic incident caused on Monday by Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his visit to Brazil, are not mere rumours. A journalist respected in political circles, the Brazilian columnist Eliane Cantanhede Brazilian, who revealed the alleged blunders of Mr. Harper sticks to the story. "I confirmed the information from my sources on site," she told Le Devoir, in a telephone interview from Brasília.
The facts are described in an article co-authored with her colleague Natuza Nery in Folha de São Paulo, the most influential newspaper in the country; Stephen Harper appears to be a rude person shamelessly violating protocol. "That's inelegant of him. People found it arrogant and crude," said Ms. Cantanhede.
The reported incidents have occurred in two stages. First, the Prime Minister would have insisted to speak to Canadian journalists at the presidential palace (Planalto), against tradition that has Heads of State visitors usually addressing the press from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty). "Giving Interviews in the Planalto Palace, it is never done. All who come to visit, even Obama, speak to reporters from the Itamaraty, "said the journalist.
Official toast, before or after?
As the Brazilian authorities have refused him this privilege, Mr. Harper, upset, would have insisted to reverse part of the protocol, which is the official toast. The latter can be given before or after the meal, but the President of Brazil, Dilma Roussef, had wished to take place later. Canadian Prime Minister "demanded" it be done before and then he "locked himself in the private bathroom of foreign minister, Antonio Patriota," the article said.
"Taken off course, Brazilian diplomats did not know if they were to follow the expressed wishes of the President or give in to the capricious demands of the Canadian visitor," it said. Harper's whims eventually prevailed.
Have these events been misunderstood? Eliane Cantanhede, who was not there, says her sources are reliable. Someone present confided in her colleague Natuza Nery, who was nearby. "She told me about it and I then confirmed the information with advisors and diplomats present," she maintains.
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