"First, President Reagan was not enthusiastic. But I built up a relationship with him in other areas and then persuaded him that this was important to us and to me, and that we had to at least be in the process of looking at this seriously"

In this quote, Brian Mulroney reviews his diplomatic efforts and political methods in handling President Ronald Reagan. Mulroney, who functioned as the Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993, here supplies insight into how he navigated international relations, particularly with the United States.

At first, Mulroney dealt with an obstacle: President Reagan was "not passionate" about a certain problem, which Mulroney thought to be of considerable significance. This lack of preliminary enthusiasm from Reagan suggests either a difference in priority or possibly an absence of understanding of the problem's significance to Canadian interests from the U.S. viewpoint.

To address this, Mulroney used a tactical technique based on building relationships. He points out having developed a relationship with Reagan "in other areas", which suggests that Mulroney invested effort and time in developing trust and mutual respect. This groundwork was crucial as it positioned him to have impact and leverage in future discussions. The development of these social ties would have assisted in a more open and responsive discussion when contentious or crucial subjects were introduced.

Mulroney's recommendation to persuading Reagan that a problem was essential "to us and to me" highlights his ability to provide his case from both a national and individual perspective. By doing so, he communicated a sense of shared goals and shared advantage, which is typically a persuasive approach in diplomacy. This double emphasis also highlights Mulroney's skill in lining up nationwide interests with individual conviction to reinforce his argument.

Lastly, Mulroney's insistence on the requirement "to a minimum of remain in the process of looking at this seriously" recommends a practical technique. Instead of requiring instant action or agreement, he pushed for earnest consideration of the issue, which could serve as a less confrontational technique to introduce possibly divisive subjects. This measured and tactical diplomacy most likely played a role in advancing Canada's interests with its effective next-door neighbor to the south.