America’s neighbor to the north may not usually get a lot of media attention, but at least in one case there’s a good reason.

Canada’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Paul Heinbecker, was the guest at a Berkeley College Master’s Tea in which he asked that his comments not appear in print. Heinbecker’s confined his confidential comments largely to Canada’s commitment to international security and the well-being of America during the Tea at Berkeley College.

Heinbecker was one of the this week’s guests of the Yale International Relations Association.

Berkeley Master John Rogers did not introduce the ambassador, instead giving the honor to Alastair Gillespie ’04, president of the Canadian Students Association, who advocated for the YIRA to bring Heinbecker to Yale.

Heinbecker then spoke for about a half hour on Canada’s actions following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In a brief portion of the tea whose disclosure Heinbecker permitted, he said: “Something happened Sept. 11. We lost our innocence. We lost our naivete — There is no controversy [in the United Nations] about the U.S.’s right to defend itself.”

Sadiq Abdulla ’05, a Canadian student and member of the YIRA, said, “He’s an incredible speaker.”

Thursday was the second time he had attended a talk by Heinbecker.

Fellow Canadian Michael Wales ’05 came to the tea for different reasons.

“I want to hear him talk about the U.N. — a topic which interests me and a career which fascinates me,” Wales said.