Fireside Chat, Interview, Conference Presentation
Amb. Bruce Heyman and Vicki Heyman: Co-Authors, "The Art of Diplomacy"
- Bruce Heyman served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada for approximately 3.5 years (33-month term with a delayed confirmation), a period described as one of the most difficult for a Canadian ambassador alongside Kelly Craft.
- Prime Minister Stephen Harper was described as "maniacally focused" on approving the Keystone Pipeline, utilizing billboards and subway ads in Washington to pressure the Obama administration.
- Heyman rejected immediate pipeline approval during his first meeting with Canadian officials, citing the necessity of the U.S. approval process rather than personal preference.
- The Obama administration delayed its Keystone decision to await Nebraska court hearings and Supreme Court proceedings on Good Friday.
- The U.S. Ambassador was summoned to the Canadian Foreign Minister's office on Easter weekend to explain the delay; this is an uncommon diplomatic event that resulted in Heyman being frozen out of meetings for several weeks.
- Heyman identified two key learnings from the conflict: never underestimate issues others consider small, and recognize that two parties can look at the same situation differently while both being "exactly right."
- Following diplomatic friction, Heyman and his team pivoted to extensive "cultural diplomacy," traveling to all Canadian provinces and visiting over 20 cities, including meetings with every premier and mayor within the first two months.
- Public sentiment gathered during these travels was uniform: Canadians prioritized a functional border that allowed for quick, efficient movement and reduced impediments to travel.
- Vicki Heyman operated a "parallel organization" within the embassy, funded a personal chief of staff, and utilized media and community building to establish her own diplomatic agenda distinct from her husband's.
- The Heymans founded "Uncharted," an organization promoting the role of "citizen ambassadors" responsible for preserving the U.S. Constitution against foreign and domestic enemies.
- Vicki Heyman traced her family's immigration history to 1910s Belarus, confirming her great-grandfather Samuel Simons (a garment presser) immigrated with his wife and five children.
- The couple published a book to educate Americans about the Canadian people and issue a call to action to protect the U.S.-Canada relationship, citing shared history in crises such as 9/11, the Iran hostage crisis, and NATO/NORAD alliances.