Canada's bid to appoint an Honorary Consul in Bermuda should go ahead without interference, Opposition leader Pamela Gordon said yesterday.

And she said if top Bermuda lawyer Saul Froomkin was Canada's first choice, he should be accepted without argument.

Ms Gordon added: "It is offensive that anyone should be so bold. It would appear nobody is safe from our new Premier.

"The tradition has always been that if the person is reputable and is held in good standing within the community, then that person is eligible.

"Barring something really bad or significant, it is a fait accompli.'' "Saul Froomkin is an upstanding person and a distinguished lawyer,'' Ms Gordon noted.

"There is nothing that anyone can point to which makes him less eligible in this community as an Honorary Consul.'' Ms Gordon hit out after The Royal Gazette revealed that Government had objected to a Canadian proposal to appoint Mr. Froomkin.

The objection is understood to have been raised because Mr. Froomkin appeared for the UBP in a legal challenge to Lois Browne Evans' appointment as the first political Attorney General in modern times.

But Ms Gordon said: "He is not a party political hack. He is not involved in the UBP in any way at the branch level or as an officer. He is a professional lawyer and very good at it -- that's why the UBP hired him.'' And Ms Gordon warned that Bermuda attempting to flex its muscles in a matter normally agreed between the sovereign states -- Canada and the UK -- could further damage relations with a neighbour already rocked by the row surrounding the murder of Canadian schoolgirl Rebecca Middleton three years ago.

She said: "The new Government is putting at risk the very delicate relationship we presently have with Canada...

"Canada is a sovereign state and a Commonwealth member and could be an ally in times of need. Canada has always been a good neighbour and we do not need to have an antagonistic relationship because a Premier or a new Government wants to show their power.'' Ms Gordon also speculated that Government may have someone else in mind for the post.

She said: "It would be most unfortunate for the Premier to try and create any more cronyism in this new Government.'' A spokesman for the Canadian Ministry of External Affairs said his government had talks with Premier Jennifer Smith on the Consul's appointment when she was in Toronto earlier this week.

Gordon calls Premier's powerplay over Canada Consul `offensive' But he declined to discuss the content of the talks -- or if the Premier had attempted to block Mr. Froomkin's appointment.

The spokesman said: "Not being part of the discussions, I wouldn't know.'' The appointment of Consuls to Overseas Territories is arranged between the foreign government and the Court of St. James in London, via governors.

Territory governments are normally informed -- with convention dictating the appointments are accepted without argument.

The Canadian government spokesman declined to comment on how the country would react to complaints about a Consular appointment.

But he said: "We would take everybody's opinion into consideration and try and take the best decision.'' He added that the Canadian government was keen to appoint an Honorary Consul -- used as a link between overseas citizens and their home countries.

Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon ATTORNEY GENERAL AG