Canadian envoy punished for spitting at Tanzanian police officer
A Canadian diplomat who spat at a Tanzanian police officer is being shipped home. According to a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Jean Touchette will—“in the best interest of all involved parties”—board a plane back to Canada “at the earliest possible time.” The First Secretary (Co-operation) at the Canadian high commission in Tanzania, Touchette reportedly got into a heated argument with a policeman last Wednesday in Dar es Salaam—and was arrested for allegedly spitting in the officer’s face. At the police station, an angry Touchette also spat at a journalist who tried to take his picture. The Tanzanian government lodged a formal complaint about the incident yesterday, accusing Touchette of “humiliating” the entire nation. The Canadian government is pretty humiliated, too. “We regret the incident that took place on Wednesday, Dec. 9, involving one of our officials,” said Robert Orr, the Canadian high commissioner in Dar es Salaam. “It is important to reiterate that Canadian employees posted abroad are held to a high standard of professional conduct in all their relations with officials in their host country.”