With his greyish white hair cropped neatly, navy blue suit and persuasive mannerism, Michael Wilson looked and sounded like a man of power in the business world.
In fact, Wilson was just that, until he left the private sector to become the 22nd Canadian Ambassador to the United States.
Yesterday in Huntsman Hall, Wilson spoke to a group of approximately 50 students, faculty and guests about Canadian politics and his experience in the public and private sectors. Among the topics Wilson discussed were trade between the U.S. and Canada, the importance of keeping a secured border and the pros and cons of the Canadian health care system.
"The relationship between the U.S. and Canada is a huge one," said Wilson, who has held his post as Ambassador since March 2006. "We share a very large border and we are their biggest trade partner."
While fielding a question about health care from a member in the audience, Wilson acknowledged that Canada's current health care system was not without its flaws.
"The problem with having such affordable, accessible health care is the waiting lists and the fact that there aren't many service-oriented doctors," he said. Wilson added that politics can often restrain health care systems from achieving full efficiency and that the U.S. and Canada can learn from each other's policies.
Wilson also discussed Canada's presence alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and talked about some of the dramatic changes that have occurred there since the joint occupation.
"In 2001, when the U.S. went into Afghanistan, there were only about 500,000 children getting their education, all of which were men," he said. "Now, there are approximately six million children in school, about 40 percent which are young women," he added. While he recognized the progress that has been made there, he was quick to proclaim the mission is still incomplete.
"There's been a lot of change, but we need to see even more change," he said.
Wilson has held numerous positions as a businessman and politician during his career. In 1984 he was appointed Canada's Minister of Finance, and seven years later he became their Minister of Industry, Science and Technology and Minister of International Trade. Later he returned to the private sector in 1993 to head his own consulting firm, eventually rejoining the Royal Bank of Canada and becoming Chairman and CEO of RT Capital and UBS Canada.
Provost Ron Daniels - a Canadian, like Wilson - introduced him as the event's speaker, calling it "an honor and a privilege." He was also grateful for the participation and respect showed to Wilson at the event.
