Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Weekly Washington Wrap

• The Keystone XL pipeline continues to be front page news in Washington.  The House of Representatives is expected to take up a $260 billion transportation bill next week that includes language that would give a green light to the KXL pipeline.  However, passage of the bill is in doubt as conservatives are expressing concern over the high price tag.
  
  
• The GOP presidential primary got more topsy-turvy on Tuesday when Senator Rick Santorum won Minnesota, Colorado, and Missouri.    It is now a three-way race between Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, and Santorum leading up to the February 28 primaries in Arizona and Michigan. 
  
  
• The White House found itself on the defensive this week, under attack by religious groups and conservatives, over regulations that require employer-based health insurance to include contraception.  Although churches, temples, and mosques are exempt, the Catholic Church argues the rule will force Catholic hospitals, universities and charities to provide medications and procedures that the church teaches are morally wrong.  Conservatives in Congress quickly took up the fight and are drafting legislation to repeal the Health and Human Services Department rule.

Terrific Toronto Temps!

Team Wilkins arrived early Monday in Toronto (leaving 70-degree weather behind in sunny South Carolina!)  We came packed with all the necessities for navigating Toronto including coats, scarves, gloves and "snow-worthy" shoes.

But alas, much to our delighted surprise, not a dollop of the white stuff was to be found on city streets, and we quickly ditched the winter wear and enjoyed the mild temps and sunny skies.

David Wilkins was in Toronto as part of the "mission" delegation team for South Carolina's Upstate Alliance – a group of savvy state businesspeople who make it their mission to create economic development opportunities in the upper counties of the Palmetto State which is already home to such international corporate giants as BMW.  The delegation included the President and CEO of the Upstate Alliance, Hal Johnson, and our great friend Andre LeBlanc, a native New Brunswicker, who headed the South Carolina Commerce Department's Toronto office during the Wilkins' Canada years.  Andre and his family call Columbia, SC, home and he still works for the state Commerce Department where he currently serves as Senior Project Manager specializing in recruiting international business.   

Of course, when traveling to Toronto, Team Wilkins is going to take advantage of catching up with great friends, and so it was wonderful to spend some time visiting with TD Bank superstar, former premier and Canadian ambassador to the U.S., Frank McKenna.  As faithful readers know, we are all big "Frank fans" here at Team Wilkins and of the folks he works with including Tim Hockey who is Executive Officer and President of TD Canada Trust and also serves as its Group Head of Canadian Banking and Insurance.  (Editor's note:  Tim has a home in Greenville, SC, which shows he's not only smart but has exceptionally good taste, too!)  And we're always delighted to see James Dodd and Martine Inman of TD Securities.

We had the privilege of visiting with old friends including David Sword who is Head of External Relations for Vestas Canada, Mel Ydreos with Union Gas, the former leader of the Canadian Forces, General Rick Hiller, businessman and author Theo Caldwell, and his equally-impressive brother Brendan Caldwell, both whom apply their expertise at Caldwell Securities. 

And we caught up with Tim Egan, who is the President and CEO of the Canadian Gas Association, Dan Goldberger who is Executive Director of Energy Technology & Innovation Canada, Ian Russell who is the President and CEO of Investment Industry Association of Canada, and with Charlie Rate, the President of SNC-Lavalin O&M Inc. 

It was great to meet with Bernie Melloul and Neil Aitchison of Melloul-Blamey, as well as with our pals Rima Shouli, Jim and Helen Phillips and John Stewart. (Editor's note: Before y'all get all excited and think Wilkins was booked on the Daily Show, this Stewart is a former U.S. Embassy Ottawa colleague now serving as director of policy and research for the Canadian Nuclear Association and not to be confused with Jon Stewart, the comedian). 

Wilkins and the Upstate delegation met with a number of other prominent Canadian company officials and ended their very busy day with a reception at the TSX Broadcast Centre, followed by a dinner at Canoe on Wellington Street (read: yum!).

The Team also got to chat the U.S.-Canada bilat, energy, the economy, and of course GOP presidential politics with our friends in the media including the Financial Post's energy editor, Yadullah Hussain, SNN's Krista Erickson, the Toronto Star's Robert Benzie, the Associated Press' Robert Gillies, CTV's Rudyard Griffiths, and CBC's Greg Weston. 

Here's an excerpt from Benzie's piece in yesterday's Toronto Star: 

With Prime Minister Stephen Harper on a trade mission to China now to discuss the Northern Gateway pipeline to Asia, the former diplomat said Americans are watching closely.

“We believe in free enterprise so I don’t think anyone blames Canada for looking to alternative markets once . . . our president rejected the pipeline,” he said.

“If it ever comes to fruition that oil — large quantities of it — is being shipped to Asia instead of the U.S. I think there will be a real concern about it and an even further outcry about the (Obama) decision.”

Regardless of the outcome in November, he said Washington should look north for lessons on righting the ship.

“We need to do what Canada did two decades ago,” said Wilkins, referring to cuts made by former prime minister Jean Chrétien and his finance minister Paul Martin.

“You just made tough decisions and got your fiscal house . . . in order.”

Psyched for Spiller

While Wilkins so enjoyed spending time in Toronto, he was fired up to get back home Wednesday for a meeting that afternoon with C.J. Spiller. Spiller was a record-breaking, All-American running back and kickoff returner for Clemson University, and a real gentleman on and off the field.  He was so good, and so beloved, in 2010 his number 28 jersey was retired at Clemson University (that year he was also the 9th pick overall in the NFL Draft). 

Spiller, who graduated from Clemson in December 2009 (and was the first in his family to receive a college degree), now plays for the Buffalo Bills, but like our dedicated diplomat David Wilkins (who now chairs Clemson's board of trustees) Spiller loves his alma mater and is looking to give something back. 

So Spiller sat down with Wilkins yesterday afternoon to chat about all that good stuff. (Editor's note:  Wilkins claims Spiller really sought him out seeking advice on how to better break tackles and improve his speed.  Yeah, right.  And we bet Madonna called him before the Super Bowl asking for dance tips, too…)

The Buffalo Bills' and former Clemson superstar C.J.  Spiller pictured here with one of his biggest fans!  

Super Bowl Slip

And speaking of football, by now all our super-smart Carolina-Canada Connections readers know that the Giants bested the Pats last week and for some of us on Team Wilkins that rocks! (Editor's note:  We are a team deeply divided on this sensitive issue – enough said.) 

Be that as it may, while Giants' QB Eli Manning continued to demonstrate that he is a class act (even refusing to throw his bro Peyton Manning under the bus when prompted (read: urged) to do so by David Letterman) we here at Team Wilkins are wondering why the Super Bowl halftime shows (as well as let's face it, many of the commercials) have us scrambling to cover the eyes of our kids and grandkids?!  (Note to Hollywood hipsters:  It is a privilege to perform before eight gazillion people.  It is a privilege to participate in what, this year, turned out to be the "most watched" TV event in history.)

Therefore, common sense and decency would dictate that "wardrobe malfunctions" and inappropriate (read: offensive!) gestures are not just silly, they're downright stupid. Seriously, "M.I.A.", considering that Madonna managed to keep her clothes on for some 15 minutes in a row, is it really that difficult to refrain from giving the watching world the "bird"?

Fly away, M.I.A., fly away. 

(Note to NFL and the TV networks:  Start looking now for Super Bowl 2013.  We promise you there are talented singers somewhere in the world who are successful in resisting what is apparently a "star" urge to strip, stun, or insult their audiences.  Really.  They're out there – and available next January. We'll be watching…)