American Notes JUSTICE

Canadian Ambassador Allan Gotlieb and his wife Sondra often wine and dine Washington's most glittering names. One figure they would rather not meet, however, is Whitney North Seymour Jr., the independent counsel attempting to prosecute former Reagan Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Deaver for perjury. Last week Seymour tried to subpoena the Gotliebs to testify about Deaver's involvement in Canadian affairs while in the White House.

The Canadian government claims that diplomatic immunity exempts the Gotliebs from testifying. Contending that Canada waived that privilege when officials answered written questions last year, Seymour accused the government of "duplicitous behavior." Canadian External Affairs Secretary Joe Clark called Seymour's argument "irresponsible." The skirmish has quieted down temporarily: the judge presiding over Deaver's trial decided to postpone proceedings until the fall.