A federal training agency is paying more than $170,000 to an American university for advice on navigating Washington, despite Canada’s foreign affairs department employing over 13,000 staff and running a full embassy in the US capital.The Canada School of Public Service said it awarded Johns Hopkins University a US$128,000 contract, or about CAD $177,000, to supply “specialized knowledge” on American politics. The consultants will arrange meetings, offer guided tours of Congress, provide updates on Canada-U.S. relations and even suggest “local dining options,” according to procurement documents.According to Blacklock's Reporter, officials wrote that only a Washington-based contractor could deliver the program because of “in-depth knowledge of the United States political system as well as Canada-U.S. relations.” The notice said Johns Hopkins was uniquely positioned due to its Center for Canadian Studies and ability to secure “valuable introductions” to U.S. power brokers.The deal was revealed one day after the Canadian Embassy in Washington confirmed it had already paid U.S. consultants the equivalent of US$2,000 an hour for advice on right-wing media messaging and communication strategies. No reason was given for why Canadian diplomats could not handle the work themselves.Foreign affairs staff had previously emphasized their own expertise. “It’s the strength of experience,” then-Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said last November, citing her contacts with senior figures from the Trump administration. She described Canada’s relationship with Washington as “the strongest and most important” of any nation.
