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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1961 ONTARIO TODAY They may not be benighted at all. Visitors may criticize our cities. N the summer of 1956, when Arab-Israeli tensions were at their height, I arrived in the Arab city of Beirut to cover the crisis. The President of Lebanon, Mr. Camille Chamoun, kindly agreed to receive me for an interview. When the day of my appointment arrived, I left in the early morning for the Presidential Palace in a Canadian Embassy car, accompanied by the charge d'affaires. The Canadian ensign fluttered proudly from the car standard. Suddenly, there was a shower of stones and epithets were screamed after us, as we sped by. A little later the driver stopped hastily and took down the flag Then, in anonymous safety, we arrived at the Presidential Palace. The Presi- dent received me cordially. But he did not hesitate to appraise me of what had happened: overnight, Ottawa had authorized the sale of eleven RCAF fighters to Israel. Everywhere I go in Canada, people still ask me, in smiling confidence, if I find Canada 'highly regarded abroad, as though the Canada coat of arms were a magic talisman that charm- ed all doors open. That, I'm afraid, is not so. It is true that for some years Canada did enjoy a period of popularity abroad. This, however, was not due to any special merit of our own. Canadians were well received because foreign- ers did not know who we really were, or be- cause we had not made our position known. T has been Canada's reluctance to take up a position in world affairs that has kept us "innocent" so long. Probably the most indecisive of nations, we must be a great puzzie to the world. Consider some of the really outstanding issues on which we have expressed no clear-cut view: Recognition of Red China or Nationalist China. (We recognize Nationalist China but don't maintain representatives in either Taipei or Peking, thus avoiding the problem); Membership in the Organization of Amer- ican States. (We favor it in speeches but do nothing about it); Cuba. (we officially condemn the Castro regime but trade avidly with it). But this could not last. Even when Canada can't make up her mind (which is most of the time), people soon draw their own conclusions about us and act accordingly. For example, in Cyprus at the height of the terrorism I found the Canadian flag, stuck on our windshield, offered no protection. We were spat upon any- way. I had overlooked the fact that the tiny Union Jack in the corner of the flag identified us to Greek Cypriots as hated British "oppres- sors'. Canadians, therefore, have no right to think they are well-received because they are Canadian and not British or American. Cana- dians are actually apt to be treated worse than British or Americans in some cases. For in- stance, in South Africa. After Prime Minister Diefenbaker's denunciation of apartheid, which resulted in South Africa's ejection from the Commonwealth, I don't suppose Canadians can expect any red carpets out for them in the Union. Most Canadians may agree with the Prime Minister about this, but we must take the consequences. RYHERE are Canadians best received ? We can still count on a better reception in Britain than Americans, who have been toler- ated but kept at arms length ever since Suez. They still love us in Cuba (as long as we help them circumvent the U.S, embargo on trade). And Canadians are popular in the Congo (chiefly due to the infinite capacity of our soldiers to take it on the chin without getting mad). But get the idea out of your head that there is any special virtue in the average Cana- dian which makes him immediately more love able to all foreigners. They judge us just like anybody else, by what we stand for and what we do. How should we behave abroad, so as to win allies and influence neutrals? The first thing Canadians should do is to stop thinking of themselves as "normal" and everyone else as "queer". Remember, once you are out of Canada it is you who are "queer", Don't assume everyone is going to understand your English, Only about 's of the world's people speak English anyway, and remember your Canadian accent is very queer. It is even harder to shed your home-cone. ditioned beliefs and prejudices, but you will get on better and learn more yourself if you make the effort, For example, most Canadians judge foreign countries by the degree of dirt they find there. They forget that dirt is itself a relative term. Many people, like the Swiss and the Swedes, consider Canadian cities fright- fully squalid and dirty. It pays to take things as they are and not to make comparisons. Remember, too, that Canada has a grows ing role in the world as a middle power, belong- ing to the West, but having close and friendly relations with other members of the Common- wealth. It behooves us to eliminate all race prejudice from our thinking. In this regard Canada has a good record, but we must be prepared to answer awkward questions about our Indian policy. Many people look upon our reservations as concentrations camps and in Russia I was often asked why we kept our Indians in "zoos". People expect us to be cool, steady and fairminded. Let us try to live up to that conception.