[Australia]: Message to Canada [SEC=SECRET]

[Owen]

​

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: SECRET ​

10 November 2005

Dear Minister of Foreign Affairs, I am currently in the United Kingdom on the biannual AUKMIN summit. I can say that both myself and our United Kingdom counterparts are happy to hear that Canada has re-embraced Queen Elizabeth the Second as their monarch. The situation in Canada, for too long, has been one marred by instability and a resurgent Republicanist movement. Various forces such as fascists and communists have attempted to gain political dominance in Canada for nearly a decade now. As Australia has always maintained a link to The Crown, we see stability and the same situation in Canada as paramount to our foreign policy objectives. We will commit a lot of resources and effort to ensure there is a long-term peace and stability in Canada. The relationship between Australia and Canada is one of the oldest and most valuable to Australia. In both of our nations, opinion polls have shown that Australia has been perceived the most positively by Canadians and Canada has been perceived the most positively by Australians, sometimes only ranking just behind New Zealand. This relationship is described by many as "cousins", due to the links to the British Crown. Many have described us as being the most similar with large swaths of inhospitable land, large agricultural and mining sectors, access to two oceans, a heavily urbanised population, two very powerful subdivisions in competition with each other, similar governance structure and similar social and economic policies. I would like it if on my return back from the United Kingdom that I take the long route home, via Canada, to visit yourself in Ottawa and to discuss further how we can enhance our bilateral relationship. Yours sincerely, Kevin Rudd.

Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700​

Protective Marking:	Business Impact Level:	Compromise of Information Confidentiality:	Required to be Encrypted:
UNOFFICIAL	No Business Impact	No damage. This information does not form part of official duty.
OFFICIAL	Low Business Impact	No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive	Low to Medium Business Impact	Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised.
PROTECTED	High Business Impact	Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
SECRET	Extreme Business Impact	Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
TOP SECRET	Catastrophic Business Impact	Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.

Nathan

 

[Nathan]

From: Elliot Rosseau Minister of Foreign Affairs

To: Kevin Rudd Owen

Classification: Top Secret Encrypted​

Dear Minister Rudd, It would be my honour to host a visit to Canada by yourself. We are strongly seeking to reinforce Canada's link to the Commonwealth, and to return Canada from the heinous acts of the previous government. Please arrive at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport where I will be waiting with a security team from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We will host a working lunch a Parliament Hill to discuss key issues in resetting our relations Look forward to hearing back from you. Yours Sincerely, Elliot Rosseau

 

[Owen]

The RAAF Boeing 737BBJ which had been transporting the Ministers to the United Kingdom would depart from London-Heathrow towards Ottawa across the Atlantic. Once it was within range of the Labrador coast, they would alert CFB Goose Bay that the Royal Australian Air Force aircraft was now in Canadian airspace with the callsign ENVOY06. Once it finished flying across Quebec it would come in for an approach into Ottawa's main airport on the south side of the city. Australia's High Commissioner to Canada, Louise Hand, would be at the airport to greet the Minister. The Minister would be staying at Australia House while in Ottawa, the High Commissioner's official residence, considered one of the crowning jewels of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's international property portfolio having been purchased in 1940.

​

The High Commission would organise a motorcade for the Minister and would accept the security of the RCMP. Once the aircraft had landed, the Minister would shake hands with Minister Rosseau and the High Commissioner before being taken to Parliament for a working lunch.

"Minister Rosseau, it is a pleasure to meet you....

I forgot we are heading into December and I should have maybe dressed a bit more appropriately. Hopefully these meetings don't go too long so I can get back to the Australian summer. It feels like I've been in the UK for a year!"

Nathan

 

[Nathan]

Elliot Rosseu would shake the Minister's hand firmly;

"Welcome to Canada, Minister. I must say we would firmly prefer your weather than ours at the moment!"

The Ministers would make the short journey from the airport to Parliament Hill. The Minister engaging in small conversation during their trip. The RCMP would provide an escort, patrol cars and motorbikes in the convoy. With motorbike outriders leapfrogging ahead to close off junctions, allowing the convoy to sweep through the downtown traffic with ease.

Parliament hill was covered in snowfall, crews had managed to protect the roads leading up to the hill from becoming impassable. The remainder of the ground was covered in perfect white. As the Ministers reached the centre block building, the white was contrasted with the red and block of the Royal 22e Regiment's band. The soldiers played a melody of O Canada, Advance Australia fair and a rousing cover of Waltzing Matilda. As the convoy pulled outside of the main entrance, a press opportunity was arranged with 6 RCMP officers in their infamous red outfits providing a backdrop against the centre block

"Welcome to Parliament Hill Minister, may we just allow the press to gain a few photographs?"

If accepted, the Minister would take a position between the RCMP officers with the Australian minister;
Owen

 

[Owen]

Minister Rudd would smile as the band played Waltzing Matilda, not expecting that at all. He was quite impressed by the performance of the Royal 22e Regiment's band and had not quite got a warm reception like that in a while from the numerous countries he has vsited.

"Yes certainly." He would stand there shaking the Ministers hand as the press took photographs.

​

Nathan

 

[Nathan]

With the press pool requests for photographs sustained, Minister Rosseau would lead the Minister into one of the central blocks meeting rooms. Set up in a board room style, a large table would be filled with a continental breakfast, hot and cold drinks and a selection of savoury items. Small national flags would divide the table into the respective sides, Minister Rosseau would offer the Minister a seat. There would be plenty of seats for any additional members of the delegation at the table.

"Welcome Minister Rudd, please help yourself. This is Kate Vandenbeld who is the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs and will be taking minutes from our meeting"

As the three sat down, the Canadian's would begin to pick up items onto plates.

"Thank you for coming to visit us. Is there a particular topic which you would like to start with?"

In the background, John Harringtons' speech on the London attacks would be showing on the Parliamentary channel, muted.

Owen