MacKay skips international meeting to be with the boys from the 'hood.

It was Steve Harper who said, "Canada is back", although he couldn't specify "back" from where. Harper likes to make a big deal about Canada having assumed some greater role on the world stage. That's somewhat delusional on his part, but apparently his basis for making that type of statement is that Canada is "boots on the ground" in Afghanistan and taking casualties.

Nothing else, it would seem, except for the fact that he's an obvious George Bush cargo-bearer, has much significance in identifying Canada as a force of influence in the community of nations.

If Harper really wanted to position Canada in a position of influence, outside the NATO precincts in Brussels or the reception area of the Pentagon, he might make sure that his government maintains the proper international connections and stays on top of world affaits. He might, for example, order his minister of foreign affairs to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila.

But he didn't. MacKay sent his deputy minister instead - so MacKay could attend the Conservative caucus meeting in Prince Edward Island.

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay has skipped a key foreign ministers' forum in the Philippines scheduled for today and tomorrow to take part in this week's Conservative caucus on Prince Edward Island, his spokesman said. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, however, will be absent from the caucus meeting as he left yesterday for Australia where finance ministers from 21 Asia-Pacific nations are gathering to discuss climate change, energy security, investment and capital markets. Prior to the news of Mr. Flaherty's trip, Dan Dugas, Mr. MacKay's spokesman, said foreign affairs deputy minister Len Edwards will represent Canada at the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila. "The minister will be attending the national caucus in Prince Edward Island," Mr. Dugas. "He can't be in two places at once, he's very disappointed and that's why he has directed that his deputy minister go in his place." The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is one of two main multilateral fora Canada has to meet with officials from Asian countries. Canada is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) group, which holds several bureaucratic and ministerial meetings, including the finance ministers meeting that Mr. Flaherty is attending. The ARF is intended to discuss security and terrorism issues in Southeast Asia, a region rife with terrorism and insurrections, and where Canada has traditionally sought to help countries like the Philippines and Thailand deal with internal security issues. The forum's membership includes North Korea, China, the European Union and the United States, and provides a way for Canada to be a little closer to international issues like the North Korean nuclear talks.

That looks like the "world stage" to me.

But there have long been grumblings from some corners that Mr. MacKay is having a hard time handling both the foreign affairs and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency portfolios, and there are questions as to how much influence he has on formulating Canadian foreign policy. Speculation mounted when Environment Minister John Baird met Jordan's King Abdullah II at the Ottawa International Airport during the monarch's visit to Canada last month while the foreign affairs minister was in Newfoundland.

Not surprising. MacKay doesn't come across as much of a multi-tasker. But what about that "world stage" thing. I mean that is Steve's big thing. Why wouldn't MacKay want to be at the ARF?

However, Mr. MacKay isn't the only foreign minister who won't be attending the ASEAN forum, which he did attend last year. American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be absent for the second year in a row, which has prompted a flurry of criticism from participating representatives and observers. It's unclear why she will be missing the meeting.

Now, I have never bought into the ridiculous "romance" twitterings surrounding Rice and MacKay, but given the way he gushed all over her like an eight-year-old infatuated with his grade-three teacher, it's obvious MacKay thinks Rice, who has never been right about anything, sets the standard for attendance at such things. If Rice isn't going, neither will he. A show of solidarity, you know. Except for one thing...

Paul Evans, co-CEO and chairman of the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, said Canada played a role in establishing the forum in the 1990s and it's "disappointing" that Mr. MacKay won't be attending. "It's been seen as a priority by Canadian ministers," he said.

That would be before, as Harper puts it, we returned to the "world stage". Now that we're back (on the "world stage") we don't bother with such things.