Ottawa, 12 April, 1995. Dear Sir:

When I arrived in the Spring of 1992, your newspaper described my country in an editorial as "politically stable, economically vigorous, culturally vibrant". It said that Spain was enjoying a "spectacular Renaissance" (vide The Globe and Mail, May 25th).

For our part, we viewed Canada as a symbol of freedom, progressiveness, tolerance, cultural integration and compromise. Combined with your clear and abundant waters, lakes, mountains and wildlife, we regarded your country as an eco-spiritual reserve of the world. We Earnestly Admired You!

Following one month of controversy over fishing rights in the Grand Banks, our fishermen are being described by your media as "evil serpents, predators, bullies, hypocrites, cheaters and even pirates". Your Ambassador to the E.U., Mr. Roy, went so far as to say they were "war criminals".

What a tragedy that the perceptions of three years ago have been transformed in the space of only one month into such harsh and negative name-calling. The sorrow for all of us is that the distortions and intemperate accusations have eroded communication and hurt the image of our respective people in one another's eyes... to say nothing of the eyes of the world.

To return to our former level of good relations we must make every effort to communicate and translate our positions as accurately and as fairly as we can, avoiding inflamatory accusations, name-calling, and distortion of facts. When common sense prevails in our dialogues, we should broaden the means for direct talks among our nationals and citizens in this "global village" we live in which MacLuhan defined with such vision so many years ago. In our view, the value of what has been called "The Tobin's Show" was totally counterproductive. In fact his rhetoric was criticised, even condemned by the international press and diplomatic community.

We should all be reminded that if we permit the current crisis to continue much longer, the ill it has generated will risk tarnishing the rest of our relations and impact Canada's attitude with the EU as a whole.

I believe that one way to begin a reversal of this most unfortunate situation is to maximize the use of Canada's sophisticated network of electronic communications, including the National Capital Freenet (NCF) of Ottawa and the Canadian Information Highway at a world wide level for accessing current and accurate information on all aspects of Canadian and Spanish life, culture, history, government, economics and even on our respective personalities.

For that purpose, since 1994, the Embassy of Spain has set up the "Si, Spain" program on the National Capital Freenet and, more recently, a home page on INTERNET which can be accessed through the following URL: http://www.civeng.carleton.ca/SiSpain/english/

Let's hope that an up-dated and direct knowledge of each other identities will bring a better understanding of our respective people and countries. This is the true meaning of democracy among civilized nations at the doorstep of the XXIst century. Yours Sincerely,

Dr. José Luis Pardos
AMBASSADOR OF SPAIN

Reference:
Article: "THE SPANISH RENAISSANCE"
Published: Monday, May 25, 1992
Canada's National Newspaper The Globe and Mail

This winter Spain quietly marked a signal anniversary. Eleven years ago, on Feb. 23, 1981, a group of paramilitary civil guards invaded the Cortes, the Spanish national parliament, and attempted to overthrow the country's elected government. Led by Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Tejero Molina, a nostalgic Francoist wearing the winged headgear of the Guardia Civil, the rebels fired into the ceiling of the Cortes as terrified parliamentarians cowered on the floor. Just 18 hours later, the comic opera coup was over, foiled by the intervention of King Juan Carlos.

How long ago it all seems. In the intervening decade, Spain has done a lot of growing up. Under a youthful new Prime Minister, Socialist Felipe Gonzalez, it joined first NATO (1982) then the European Union (1986). The economy boomed. According to a recent Economist survey, gross domestic product grew at an average yearly rate of 5 per cent from 1986 to 1990, well ahead of the European Community average, while per capita income shot from 73 per cent of the EC average in 1986 to 80 per cent in 1991. With the aid of EU subsides, the Gonzalez government invested $30-billion in infrastructure -bridges, freeways, airports and railroads, including a high-speed line between Madrid and Seville.

With more money to spend, affluent Spanish "yupis" let loose. Although the traditional siesta has all but disappeared, the restaurants still begin filling for dinner at 10 p.m., and the bars keep buzzing till 4 a.m. For those who prefer high culture to bar hopping, a host of artistic stars glitter, from filmmaker Pedro Almodovar to classical musician Jordi Savall.

Politically stable, economically vigorous, culturally vibrant, Spain has enjoyed a spectacular renaissance. In a country where many still remember the brutal years of civil war (1936-1939) and most adults have experienced life under the Franco dictatorship (1939-1975), this is something for Spaniards to celebrate. And celebrate they will. This year, in a sort of national street party, Spain is playing host to the Olympics in Barcelona and the Universal Exposition in Seville, while Madrid has been designated the European "capital of culture" for 1992.

Of course, Spain has its problems - problems that look all the more stark in the midst of an expensive fiesta. Unemployment, at 16.5 per cent, is second only to Ireland's in the EC. Growth has fallen to 2.5 per cent (although it remains above the EC average). Unions are planning a general strike over unemployment benefits, disgruntled farmers block public highways, Basque separatism festers and the public worries about an influx of North African immigrants.

But none of these problems is unique to Spain. From illegal immigration to labour unrest, the remarkable thing about Spain's troubles is how typically European they are. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the political buzzword of 1992 is "convergence", the term for the discipline Spain must bring to its economy if it is to take part in European economy and monetary union later this decade.

Nor are Spain's political battles wages with the same deadly passion of years before. Then, the issues were right versus left, Catholic versus anticlerical. Ideological divisions today are far less sharp. Mr. Gonzalez's Socialists have moved so far to the right after 10 years in power that they are barely distinguishable from their opponents, the mildly conservative People's Party. In short, Spanish politics are approaching that most enviable of states, dullness.

Fortunately, the same cannot be said for everyday life in Spain. The Spanish sense of "alegria", or joie de vivre, takes care of that. It should be quite a party.

(End of article)