|
|
 |
NEWS RELEASES
DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS
July 31, 2003 (2:10 p.m. EDT) No. 108
DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS
Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the following diplomatic appointments:
Christopher Alexander becomes Ambassador to Afghanistan.
Roderick Bell becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of
Yemen and to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Brian J. Davis becomes Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic.
Lucie Edwards becomes High Commissioner in the Republic of India, with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador to the
Kingdom of Nepal.
Bernard Giroux becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Chile.
Margaret Huber becomes High Commissioner in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Michèle Lévesque becomes Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Niger and to
the Republic of Benin.
Melvyn MacDonald becomes High Commissioner in Malaysia.
Robert Mackenzie becomes Consul General at Shanghai (People's Republic of China).
Patrick Parisot becomes Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic.
Franco D. Pillarella becomes Ambassador to Romania, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Bulgaria and to
the Republic of Moldova.
Sandelle Scrimshaw becomes High Commissioner in the Republic of South Africa, with concurrent accreditation to the
Republic of Mauritius.
Donald Sinclair becomes Ambassador to the State of Israel.
Peter Sutherland becomes Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines.
- 30 -
Biographical notes on the appointees are attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Isabelle Savard
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Christopher Alexander (BA, McGill University, 1983; MA, Oxford University, 1991) joined the Department of External
Affairs and International Trade in 1991 and has twice served abroad in Moscow. In Ottawa, he was Assistant to the Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1996-97 and Deputy Director (Russia) in the Eastern Europe Division from 1997 to 2000.
Since 2000, he has served in Moscow as Minister-Counsellor. Mr. Alexander becomes Canada's first resident Ambassador
to Afghanistan.
Roderick Bell (BA, Honours, [History], University of Toronto; MA, [History], University of Sussex) joined the
Department of External Affairs in 1974 and served abroad in Cairo, New York, Tel Aviv, and Brasilia. In Ottawa, he
served as Deputy Director, and then Director, United States Transboundary Division. From 1995 to 2000, he was Director,
United Nations and Commonwealth Affairs Division. Since 2000, he has served as Ambassador to Jordan. Mr. Bell
succeeds Melvyn MacDonald.
Brian J. Davis (BA [Political Science], University of Ottawa, 1968; diploma in Public Administration, Carleton
University, 1978), joined the Foreign Service as an Immigration Officer in 1972 and served abroad in Beirut, Nairobi,
Warsaw, New Delhi and Hong Kong, where he was Consul from 1994 to 1997. In Ottawa, he held a number of positions at
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, including Director General, International Operations and Director General, Case
Management. Since 1997, he has served in Paris as Counsellor (Immigration). He is married to Beverley Davis (née Roche)
and they have two daughters. Mr. Davis succeeds Franco Pillarella.
Lucie Edwards (BA, Honours, Trent University, 1976; MPA, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1984)
joined the Department of External Affairs in 1976 and served abroad in Tel Aviv, Pretoria and Nairobi, where she was
High Commissioner to Kenya from 1993 to 1995. In Ottawa, Ms. Edwards undertook assignments in the Commercial
Policy, Economic Relations with Developing Countries, Middle East, and Resource Management Divisions. From 1989 to
1992, Ms. Edwards was Chairperson of the Southern Africa Task Force, and from 1992 to 1993, she served as Director of
the Middle East Relations Division. From 1995 to 1996, she was Director General of the Global Issues Bureau. In 1996,
Ms. Edwards was named Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services, a position she held until 1999. Since 1999, she
has served as High Commissioner to South Africa. She is married to Thomas Roach. Ms. Edwards succeeds Peter
Sutherland.
Bernard Giroux (BA, University of Montreal, 1968; BA, Honours, McGill University, 1970; MSc, [Economic studies],
University of Montreal, 1971) joined the Trade Commissioner Service in 1971. He served abroad in Manila, Minneapolis,
Brussels (Permament Mission to the European Community), Seoul and Boston. In 1997, he was named Ambassador to
Thailand, a position he held until 2001. In Ottawa, he held a number of positions including Director of the Trade
Commissioner Service Personnel Division, and Director of the United States Trade and Tourism Development Division. In
1994, he was named Director General of the United States Trade, Tourism and Investment Development Bureau and served
as Director General of the International Business Planning Bureau from 1996 to 1997. From 2001 until earlier this year, he
was Director General of the Executive Services Bureau. Mr. Giroux is married to Marjolaine Martin. He succeeds Patrick
Parisot.
Margaret Huber (BA, McGill University; MA, University of Ottawa; MPA, Harvard Business School) joined Canada's
Foreign Service in 1974 and served abroad in Manila, in Tokyo and at the Permanent Mission to the European Community
in Brussels. In 1991, she was named Consul General in Osaka, a position she held until 1996. In Ottawa, she held a number
of positions, including Director, European Community Division, and Director General, Export and Import Controls Bureau.
From 1997 to 2000, she was Director General, North Asia and Pacific Bureau. Since 2000, she has served as Ambassador
to the Czech Republic as well as to Slovakia. Ms. Huber succeeds Konrad Sigurdson.
Michèle Lévesque (DEC [Social Sciences], CÉGEP de Jonquière, 1972; BA, Honours [Arts], University of Ottawa, 1975)
joined the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in 1984. Prior to joining the Public Service, she worked at
the International Development Research Centre from 1977 to 1979 and at the United Nations in New York from 1981 to
1983. At CIDA headquarters, she undertook assignments in the International Non-Governmental Organizations Division,
and the Multilateral Technical Cooperation Division, where she was involved with issues relating to the United Nations and
La Francophonie. In 1988, she was assigned to the Privy Council Office, Privatization, Government Operations and Labour
Relations Secretariat until 1990, when she moved to the Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat. Returning to CIDA in
1991, she served as Director for Consultations on CIDA's Management Review. From 1992 to 1998, Ms. Lévesque was
Director, then Director General, of the International Humanitarian Assistance Division at CIDA. In 1998, she was named
Ambassador to Senegal, a position she held until 2001. On her return to Canada, she became Deputy Secretary (Policy,
Program and Protocol), Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, a position she held until earlier this year, when she
joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Ms. Lévesque succeeds Émile Gauvreau.
Melvyn MacDonald (BA [Economics and Political Science], University of Victoria, 1968) joined the Public Service in
1972 and served abroad in Tokyo (three times), Rome, Oslo and Kuala Lumpur. In Ottawa, he held a number of positions,
including Director, Central and Eastern Europe Trade Development Division, Director, Planning and Coordination
Division, and Director, Trade Advisory Committees Secretariat. From 1996 to 2000, he served in Tokyo, as Minister
(Economic/Commercial). Since 2000, he has served as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He is married to Diane MacDonald,
and they have three sons. Mr. MacDonald succeeds Jean McCloskey.
Robert Mackenzie (HBA, 1971, MBA, Richard Ivey School, University of Western Ontario, 1973), joined the Foreign
Service in 1973 as a Trade Commissioner and served abroad in San Juan, Chicago and Prague. From 1988 to 1992, he
served at the Canadian High Commission in London, becoming Alternate Director at the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, in 1991. In 1992, he was named Consul General in Buffalo, a position he held until
1996. In Ottawa, he held a number of positions, including Director, United States Business Development Division and
Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister for International Trade. Since 2000, he has served in Beijing, as Minister
(Commercial). He is married to Sandi Mackenzie and they have four children. Mr. Mackenzie succeeds Stewart Beck.
Patrick Parisot (CGE, École des hautes études commerciales, 1976; BSp Rel Hum [Psychology of Communications],
1979; BA [Political Science], University of Quebec at Montreal, 1984; CIJ [Information and Journalism], University of
Montreal, 1987) became Press Secretary to the Prime Minister in 1993 and Special Policy Adviser in 1999, a position he
held until 2001. Prior to entering government, he worked as a journalist at Radio-Québec, Société Radio-Canada and
Télévision Quatre-Saisons. Since 2001, he has served as Ambassador to Chile. His partner is Carmen Altamirano and they
have three children.
Franco D. Pillarella (BA, University of Ottawa, 1963; LLL, University of Ottawa, 1966; member of the Quebec Bar,
1967) joined the Foreign Service in 1967. He served abroad in Bonn, Milan, Rome, Algiers, The Hague, and from 1988 to
1992 as Consul General in Berlin. In 1997, he was named Ambassador to Algeria, a position he held until 2000. In Ottawa,
he held a number of positions, including Director, Human Rights and Social Affairs Division, and Director, Foreign
Intelligence Division. Since 2000, he has served as Ambassador to Syria. Mr. Pillarella succeeds Raphaël Girard.
Sandelle Scrimshaw (BA, Honours, University of Western Ontario, 1973) began her career in the Public Service in 1973.
In 1979, she joined the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and transferred to the Department of External
Affairs in 1983. She served abroad in Abidjan from 1984 to 1987 and was named High Commissioner to Ghana in 1987, a
position she held until 1990. From 1993 to 1997, she was Canadian Executive Director at the African Development Bank,
in Abidjan. In Ottawa, Ms. Scrimshaw held a number of positions at CIDA and in the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade (DFAIT) including Director General, Asia Pacific South and Director General, Africa Bureau. Since
2000, Ms. Scrimshaw has been High Commissioner to Barbados. She has one daughter. Ms. Scrimshaw succeeds
Lucie Edwards.
Donald Sinclair (BA [Political Science], Dalhousie University, 1968; MA [Political Science], Dalhousie University,
1970), joined the Department of External Affairs in 1973 and served abroad in Tehran, The Hague, Tel Aviv, Canberra and
Geneva. In Ottawa, he held a number of positions, including Director, Middle East Division. Since 2001, he has been
Director General of the Middle East and North Africa Bureau. He will be accompanied to post by Ms. Jill Sinclair. He has
two children. Mr. Sinclair succeeds Michael Bell.
Peter Sutherland (BA, Honours, [Political Science and Economics], University of Toronto, 1965; SJD., University of
Toronto, 1969; MSc [International Business and Finance] George Washington University, 1977), joined the Trade
Commissioner Service in 1971 and served abroad in New York, Abidjan, Washington, D.C., Budapest and Riyadh. In
1993, he was named Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a position he held until 1996. In Ottawa, Mr. Sutherland held a number
of positions, including Director, Crown Investments, with the Department of Regional Industrial Expansion; Director,
International Financial and Investment Affairs; Director, Export Finance and Capital projects; and Director General,
International Trade Policy, with Agriculture Canada. From 1996 to 1999, he was Director General, Trade Commissioner
Service, Planning and Policy at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In 1999-2000, he was a Fellow
at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. Since 2000, he has served as High Commissioner
to India. He is married to Jo-Lynne Howard and has three children. Mr. Sutherland succeeds Robert Collette.
|
