Three Canadian reporters stand in the lobby of the Osaka Hilton, surrounded by marble and deep pile carpets, waiting for an interview with agriculture minister Ralph Goodale. It’s about 9:30 on a Saturday night, midway through the agriculture trade mission to Japan and Indonesia.
The lobby is full of chic guests. Some function has also attracted a crowd of young men tugging at the collars of their sharp suits and young women wearing elaborate, beautiful traditional kimonos.
Into the throng walks Goodale, wearing sweatshirt and shorts, apparently fresh from a workout.
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He seems completely indefatigable on this trip. Whether addressing Japanese business people at a luncheon meeting or touring yet another grocery store, he appears alert and interested.
The days are long, often ending with formal receptions in the evening.
Goodale, however, stays up most nights for a 90-minute midnight news teleconference with reporters back in Canada.
In his best “radio voice,” Goodale summarizes the trade mission’s activities and then fields questions. Almost all of the queries are about the barley plebiscite.
He shows no exasperation.
Though half a world away, he tries to respond to the latest news release from the Western Canadian Wheat Growers.
But on Saturday night, the reporters traveling with the mission want to talk Japanese trade.
With coffee and and an ever-lit cigarette, Goodale shows his knack for detail. His desire to illuminate, or perhaps to baffle, with context, history and detail leads reporters to wonder if he’ll start answering questions with “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Two hours fly by. “We should wrap up,” an assistant says. “The minister has some call-backs to Canada.”
