Canada's ambassador to Mexico quits after remarks

OTTAWA Canada's ambassador to Mexico has quit, saying he compromised his
effectiveness by publicly scoffing at Mexico's antidrug efforts and complaining
of widespread corruption, the government announced Monday.

Ambassador Marc Perron was quoted this week in a Mexican magazine as saying he's
never seen the level of corruption that exists in Mexico, that the government's
war on drugs is a sham and Washington's pressure on Mexico over drugs is a game.

"Our ambassadors are very forthright. But I think putting those views in a
publication were considered to be inappropriate by the ambassador himself,"
Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said Monday.

His own judgment was that this was going to limit his effectiveness as a
representative. On his request, he'll be reassigned.

Axworthy said he had consulted with Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Angel Gurria,
who agreed that Perron should leave.

Perron's comments were published by the magazine Milenio on Sunday, but excerpts
were leaked to some Mexican media Friday. Gurria apparently called Axworthy to
complain over the weekend.

Axworthy said Monday he did not think the incident would harm relations between
the two nations.

Perron, a career diplomat who previously served as Canada's ambassador to Egypt
and as a deputy in Africa and the Middle East, was quoted as saying he thought
he knew all about corruption before he was posted to Mexico.

"But I was wrong. When one sees what goes on in this country ... it is very
difficult to understand."

He also said America's hardline stance on Mexico concerning drugs is
politically motivated.

"I think the pressure on Mexico from the United States is just a game that the
American government uses for political ends," he said.