<html>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8">
<title>APPOINTMENTS TO IDRC BOARD OF GOVERNORS</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">March 16, 1998 No. 57</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">APPOINTMENTS TO IDRC BOARD OF GOVERNORS</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced the appointments of Marie
Ann Battiste and Paulynn P. Sicam, and the reappointment of Huguette Labelle, to
the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Marie Ann Battiste has been an Associate Professor in the Indian and Northern
Education Program of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon since 1993. She
is also Executive Director of the Apamuek Institute in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia.
From 1989 to 1993, she served as the Mi'kmaq Cultural Co-ordinator of the
Eskasoni School Board. Ms. Battiste has held a number of teaching positions,
including Visiting Professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies in
San Francisco in 1992; Education Director and Principal, Mi'kmawey School, Chapel
Island Reserve, St. Peter's, Nova Scotia, from 1984 to 1988; and Adjunct
Professor, Native Chair, St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, from
1986 to 1987.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Since 1995, Paulynn Sicam has been heading the Peace and Human Rights Desk at the
Benigno Aquino Foundation in the Philippines. Recently, she presided over the
development of a curriculum for instructors at Philippine national police
training units that integrates human rights into all of the subjects they teach.
Ms. Sicam was a member of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) from
1991 to 1994. As Commissioner in Charge of Education and Information, she
directed the development of the CHR's training program for the Philippine
military, police and public school teachers, for which the Commission received
the UNESCO prize for Human Rights Education in 1994.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Huguette Labelle has been President of the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) since 1993. Prior to joining CIDA, she was Deputy Minister of
Transport Canada from 1990 to 1993; Chairperson of the Public Service Commission
of Canada from 1985 to 1990; Associate Secretary to the Cabinet and Deputy Clerk
of the Privy Council (1985); and Under Secretary of State for the Department of
the Secretary of State from 1980 to 1985. From 1973 to 1980, Ms. Labelle held
senior management positions in Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and in Health
and Welfare Canada. Ms. Labelle is currently Chancellor of the University of
Ottawa and member of the Board of Directors of the Export Development
Corporation, the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic
Development, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
Ms. Labelle is also Vice-Chairwoman of the China Council for International Co-operation on Environment and Development.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">IDRC is a public corporation created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help
developing-country scientists and communities find solutions to social, economic
and environmental problems through research. By bringing together people,
institutions and ideas, IDRC seeks to ensure that the benefits of this research
will be shared equitably among all its partners in both the northern and the
southern hemispheres.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">IDRC is directed by a 21-member Board of Governors comprising 11 Canadian members
and 10 non-Canadian members.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Debora Brown</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</font></p>
</body>
</html>
