Basil Robinson

Robinson, H. Basil O

(1919-2012)Basil Robinson, former Undersecretary of State for External Affairs and Officer of the Order of Canada, died on 21 December 2012, aged 93, at the Perley Rideau in Ottawa. A distinguished civil servant, diplomat, sportsman, and war veteran, to those who knew him best he was a loving father, a gentleman, an inspiration, a man of honour. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, their four children Katharine, David, Brigitte Ann and Geoffrey, and their grandchildren Olivia, Nicolas, Adam, Amalia and Sofia. He was predeceased by his brother Geoffrey, and by his parents Basil and Nancy Robinson of Vancouver. The family wishes to thank his devoted caregivers (Rose, Emma, Connie and Ashley) as well as the staff who supported him and the family at the Perley Rideau, especially those in Gatineau-1 and Gatineau-2 North. Robinson began his family memoir with a phrase his father often used in writing to the families of departed friends: 'Of this man, let us not say il est mort (he is dead) but rather il a vécu (he has lived).' The tribute applies equally to him. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Bartholomew's Church at 125 McKay Street, New Edinburgh, Ottawa, on Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to a cause that embodies the values he held dear: integrity, generosity, fairness, and public service.

Dave Hilton Remembers Harry Horne

Dave paid a visit to Betty and Harry and in Murfreesboro about 2 weeks before Harry's passing. He contributed an article about Harry to the Globe and Mail which appeared on Dec. 14. His submitted copy is below (the Globe edited it a bit).


David Hilton Remembers Diplomat Extraordinaire, Harry Horne

During the funeral service held last month in the small southern
city of Murfreesboro, a person stood up and sang O Canada. It
was a tribute to an old friend and neighbour, Harry Horne who had
died at the age of 96.

Harry had lived in Tennessee since 1980 when he retired and came
to the hometown of his new wife. There was a Canadian flag on
his front lawn but his friends and neighbours only had the faintest
idea of what he did before moving to Murfreesboro.

Before settling in the South, he had spent over 30 years as a
member of Canada’s foreign service with postings in Asia, Europe,
Latin America and the United States. I worked for him in 1960 -
1962 in the Consulate in Chicago.

Although a career diplomat, he often joked that the only striped
pants he ever owned were the coveralls he when he was growing
up in his native Saskatchewan. He had served in the Second
World War in the Netherlands and Germany and joined the
federal Trade Commissioner Service in 1947. From 1948 to his
retirement in 1980 he served overseas. In the days before internet
and jet travel the Trade Commissioners job was to help Canadian
exporters operate successfully in foreign markets.

Harry was a natural in that job. He seemingly knew everyone and
knew how to get Canadian products, whether it be raw materials or
widgets into the local market. He was more than a smart salesman;
he had flair and unquestioned integrity. On his very first post to
Norway Harry challenged the mayor of Bergen to an arm wrestling
match one job against the other for a day. Naturally Harry won.


In an additional note Dave mentions:

John Blackwood called me yesterday afternoon.  Harry had been his first boss in Karachi.  John named his only son Harry [not Harald] and the mother Diane said it was the wisest thing they ever did.

My most vivid memory goes back to a cold winter night in Ottawa in early 1960.  Our class had come back from the tour and were gathered in the basement of Les Brown's place, just off Riverside Drive, to get our first assignments.  Brown, as he was wont to do was milking the scene for all it was worth.  There were 12 of us and the list was getting smaller and smaller.  We had, as I am sure you did, spent hours trying to suss out what were the possibilities.  I was the last person on the list and was told I was going to Chicago.  I was so crushed I left the party and went out into the back yard and started to cry.  Donne [we were then engaged and were planning on getting married in a couple of months] had to prop me up. I had turned down External and I wasn't prepared to face the consequence of my first job in the foreign service was to be in the United States.  In abject self pity, Gerry Hughes who was then head of personnel and Wiley Millyard who head of administration came up to me, knelt down and explained that there had been a design in their plan.  I had drawn Chicago they said because I was going to be working with [Harry Horne] the best Trade Commissioner in the service.  It was the place where I would learn more and do more and get a reputation faster than anywhere else.  Since then I have always respected my elders.

Harry Horne

Pat and Ken Taylor visited Harry at his home in Murfreesboro, TN just before Harry passed away. Here's a photo.

Just Another Day on the Thames

Massage Fraud Warning

Suspected fraud identified

Alert - Quebec massage establishments

Sun Life Financial has identified a growing number of massage establishments in Quebec that operate as massage parlours, offering body rubs or additional services of a sexual nature in lieu of or together with a massage, while advertising that they will issue receipts for insurance purposes.

Under the terms of our plans, coverage is only available for therapeutic or medically necessary services as accepted by standard medical practices. As a result, we will decline all massage therapy claims from such establishments – even if a receipt has been provided.

To avoid having a legitimate massage claim denied, we encourage you to research any massage provider you are considering to ensure it is a legitimate provider of therapeutic massage services. Any clinic that offers “additional” services or is a 24/7 operation will likely not meet the criteria as a quality provider.

If you have any questions about your massage therapy claims, please contact the Sun Life Financial Customer Care Centre at 1-800-361-6212.

Portugal Golf Outing Report

A good time was had by all, and the golfing was superb. 

Bill Johnston's report on the event is here.

Ed Gorn reports on his (excellent!) fundraising 'stache-growing effort -- cf. his 'before' photo eight posts ago (Oct. 31). I vote you do NOT shave it off, Ed. - J

---

From the debut of a sparse stubble one month ago, the time has come to display the 'stache/goatee that has grown in step with your kind donations to this worthy cause.
Even though Movember has not yet come to a conclusion, your contributions to date have already exceeded  $ 2,000.00.

 Thank you for your generous support.

Special thanks to John Lang and Ted Johnson who acted as sponsors to the Trade Commissioners/Amigos and the Class of 1966.

Cheers, Ed

Volunteer Job in Haiti

The link below gives the terms and conditions of a four month volunteer assignment in Haiti starting in January 2013 in which a francophone or a very bilingual anglophone retired Trade Commissioner may be interested.  This project is funded by CIDA and managed by a consortium of four NGOs - CECI (Centre canadien d’étude et de coopération internationale), EUMC (Entraide universitaire mondiale du Canada), SACO (Service d’assistance canadienne aux organisations) and FPGL (Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie). 

Anyone interested can contact Guy Bédard at bedardg@sympatico.ca. 

Terms and conditions are here.

Harry Horne: RIP

Harry James Horne
(October 8, 1916 - November 11, 2012)

Harry James Horne, age 96, of Murfreesboro, died Sunday, November 11, 2012 at his home.

Mr. Horne was a native of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was a son of the late Bernard J. and Rose Burke Horne. He was also preceded in death by a son, Bernard Thomas Horne.
Visitation will be 1:00 until 3:00pm Wednesday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel followed by a 3:00pm funeral service with Rev. Don Herron officiating.
Mr. Horne is survived by his wife, Betty Lewter Horne; son, Christopher A. Horne of Adelaide, Australia; daughter, Lisa Coyle of Tampa, FL and one granddaughter, Laura Hargrove of Atlanta, GA.
Mr. Horne served in the Canadian Medical Corp during World War II. Following service in France, the Netherlands and Germany Mr. Horne returned to Canada. He enrolled first at the University of British Columbia and then at the University of Toronto where he gained an MBA. In 1947 he joined the Trade Commissioner Service, the commercial part of Canada’s diplomatic service. For the next forty years he served his country in Oslo, Stockholm, Lima, Karachi, Chicago and Bonn.
In 1967 he was named Consul General for Canada in Sydney, Australia and subsequently was Canada’s Consul General in Atlanta and San Francisco.
Mr. Horne spent over 30 years abroad and was renowned for his ability to train and develop young diplomats many of who went on to very senior roles in government and industry. He passed up a number of requests to fill positions in Ottawa. He was lovingly called “Trader Horne” by a generation of Canadian diplomats.
His influence spread outside the government community and he was highly regarded by many of leaders in the Canadian business community with whom he was in close contact through frequent trips back to Canada.
Mr. Horne was the senior Canadian Government representative to six western states including Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Northern California and Hawaii. His responsibilities included the administration of the Canadian Consulate General’s five divisions: industry, trade and commerce, manpower and immigration, tourism, consular affairs and public affairs.
Mr. Horne had been an active member of the Murfreesboro Noon Rotary Club for 45 years. He served as president in 1986-87, was a former secretary and a Paul Harris Fellow.
Memorials may be made to the Noon Rotary Club or the Harry Horne Scholarship Fund at MTSU in memory of Mr. Horne.
Woodfin Memorial Chapel. 615-893-5151. Online condolences can be made atwww.woodfinchapel.com 

Facebook for ex-TCS/SDC

Colleague, Roger Belanger, has taken the initiative to create a Facebook page for members of this group who wish to engage in a more interactive (modern) form of communication. Below are some details, including a 'how-to'. It's dead easy. Those on "Lang's list" will also have received an email about this. Roger's email is provided on that. He's the best person to ask about this, but I do not foresee that any of you will have any problem. And ignoring the whole thing is always an option. - jl

Why create a Facebook Group for ex-TCS?
It is obvious that social media, and Facebook in particular, has made great inroads 
in terms of reaching out to a greater number of contacts (“friends”).  In fact, many 
believe that social media is quickly replacing email as a way of communicating. A big 
advantage over using an email list is that you don’t have to worry if the latter is up-to-
date.

Is it safe, secure to use Facebook?
Everyone should be careful using whatever media. Facebook is safe if you ensure that 
your privacy settings are as you want them to be. It's up to you.

Do I need to join Facebook to keep in touch? Is this replacing Amigos or 
the “messages from John Lang”?
No, to both questions. However, using Facebook would help in making it easy for 
anyone to communicate with other members on Facebook without putting the onus on 
one single person (like John Lang, who has been doing over the past few years) to re-
communicate the info.

How do I join Facebook?
Open www.facebook.com. Complete your profile as you find it personally useful. View 
and edit your privacy settings (click on the “down arrow” on the top right), we suggest 
you choose “Friends” instead of “Public” or “Everyone” throughout the various choices.

How do I join the “ex-TCS/SDC (2012) Group?
Once you have joined Facebook with a personal account, you can join our Group. We 
can be found by typing the Group’s name in the search area on the top of your page. 
You can ask to join the Group or we could invite you once you confirm to us that you 
are on Facebook. 

How will I receive messages from members of the Group?
Individual members can decide through the Group’s settings if and when they want to 
receive emails concerning the activities of the Group. You can also select whether you 
want to display the group updates in the News Feed on your own Facebook home page 
(personal account).

Where can members communicate with each other?
The Group is meant for messages to be shared with everyone. You can use your own 
personal Facebook account to send a personal message to another member to whom 
you are connected as a Friend on Facebook. When clicking on the Group’s name on the 
left navigation, you get to the Group’s Timeline. This is the main area where members 
can make direct contact with all the other members. You can comment on posts and be 
able to publish messages themselves.

Can anyone on Facebook have access to our Group’s Timeline (content)?
No, the Group was created as a “closed” group.   

FSCA Art Exhibition

27th Annual Art Exhibition

This year's Foreign Service Community Association (FSCA) Art Exhibition  

will take place in the Skelton Lobby, Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive,  

Ottawa from 20-22 November, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

The Exhibition will remain open to the public until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 

November 21.

Due to the new security procedures, visitors who will be attending the exhibition 

on Tues-Thurs will need a government-issued photo ID (not a passport please) to 

exchange for a visitor's pass.

I will be exhibiting my fine art photography prints and I look forward to seeing you 

at the show. 

Regards, David 

DAVID CLENDENNING PHOTOGRAPHY

Suite 506-35 Murray Street

Ottawa, ON, K1N 9M5

T 613.562.0930

Thomas Delworth: Obituary

DELWORTH, W. Thomas
Diplomat and University Provost
Passed away peacefully in Ottawa on Monday October 29 at the age of 83. Survived by his loving and beloved wife of forty-three years, Pamela, and his son Christopher, whose presence was a tower of strength for him toward the end of his life. Predeceased by his parents, Cecil Ivor Delworth and Jessie Strang Corry, his stepmother Edna Edith Shaw and his older brother John Corry Delworth.
Tom joined the Foreign Service in 1956 and spent the next thirty seven years in a variety of assignments at home and abroad, 22 of those years at the senior official/head of post level. He served inter alia as Ambassador to Indonesia 1970-1974, to Sweden 1984-1987, and to Germany 1988-1992 (including Head of the Military Mission in Berlin), as well as Ambassador/Head of Delegation to three major international Conferences on European Security: Geneva 1974-1975, Belgrade 1977-1978 and Sweden 1984-1987. In Ottawa 1978-1984, he headed the Asia Pacific Affairs Bureau for some years as Assistant Undersecretary before becoming Assistant Deputy Minister for Political Affairs and Special Advisor to the Deputy Minister.
Following a distinguished career in the Department of Foreign Affairs, with a record of high achievement, notably in the Asia Pacific world and in Europe, as well as in senior positions at HQ in Ottawa, Tom retired in 1993. Thereafter he devoted himself to teaching International Relations at the Universities of Toronto (Bissell Chair), Trinity College U of T; Queens (Skelton-Clark Visiting Fellow); and later Carleton (Norman Paterson School of International Affairs). Subsequently he was appointed Provost of Trinity College 1996-2002 and upon his retirement received the title of Provost Emeritus. He was recently honoured by the College with the bestowal of its highest honour, an Honorary Fellowship. He is a Special Fellow of Massey College and a member of the Chancellor's Council at Victoria University. His final years found him passionately involved in community volunteer work in Ottawa as Vice Chairman of the Board of Opera Lyra Ottawa and Chairman of the Board of the Rockliffe Park Foundation. His death brings to a close almost 50 years of outstanding service to his country and his fellow Canadians.
Our heartfelt thanks to the compassionate nurses, caregivers and many personal and professional friends who offered support. A memorial service will be held at the Church of St Bartholomew, 125 Mackay Street, Ottawa, Thursday November 15 at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a donation to a living memorial in Tom's name might direct their attention to "The Provost Delworth Graduation Awards" at the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto, 6 Hoskin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1H8. More information may be had by contacting the Bursar: 1-416-978-3058

Cantata Singers Concert, Nov. 17

You’re a music lover so I wanted to let you know about the upcoming Cantata Singers’ concert.  It’s on November 17 and promises to be an excellent evening of music.  

The repertoire we’re presenting explores the theme of the medieval allegory the Dance of Death (or Totentanz). There will be hauntingly beautiful music by composers: Mendelssohn, Togni, Distler, Eleanor Daley (the complete Requiem which includes “In Remembrance”), Tavener, and Piper (an Ottawa composer).

It’s Saturday, November 17, 2012, at St. Joseph’s Church (174 Wilbrod Ave). Free parking is available next to the church as well as on-street parking.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Come at 7:30 p.m. and hear the pre-concert talk by Artistic Director Michael Zaugg. These talks are always a truly fascinating introduction into the music you will hear.

Tickets:

Adult: $25 - $5 discount on advance purchase

Senior: $20 - $5 discount on advance purchase

Student: $10

Of course, if you’d prefer to purchase a 2012-13 season’s ticket for the choir’s 3 concert series, including this one, it’s only $55 for adults and $45 for seniors.

NEW: Purchase your tickets online using PayPal at www.cantatasingersottawa.ca! Tickets are also available at The Leading Note, Compact Music, all CD Warehouse stores, or can be purchased directly from me.

For more information, visit www.cantatasingersottawa.ca.

I have tickets and can arrange to get them to you.

Hope you can make it. And I’d be so pleased if you could pass this on to other music lovers.

Cathy Patton

cathy.patton@rogers.com

Tom Delworth Funeral

Message from Rick Kohler:

RHOMA colleague Max Yalden has shared that Tom Delworth's funeral will be held Thursday, November 15th at 3 pm, St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church, 125 Mackay Street, New Edinburgh; the obituary is expected to appear in newspapers November 7.  

 Meanwhile, an article on the Asia Pacific Foundation site remembers Tom, here.

Ed Gorn's Movember 'stache

Hi folks,

It's Movember and time to make a difference. So I am going growing an amazing  'stache to support this worthy cause. You can make a difference by donating to me at mobro.co/1378404
Men's health is a cause I am passionate about but in order to make a difference I need your help. My commitment is to grow a moustache for the month of November and in doing so, raise vital awareness and funds for prostate cancer and male mental health.

I am asking you to help support my personal journey by making a donation. The size of which isn't important, every little bit helps Movember to continue its funding of world class programs.  If you want to know more about what you'll be helping to fund, you can visit http://ca.movember.com/about/funding-overview/.

To highlight the importance of what I am doing, take a look at these statistics:

  --  1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
  --  This year 26,500 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed
  --  1 in 5 men will experience a mental illness this year

If you'd like to help change these statistics, please donate to me here: http://mobro.co/1378404

If you're interested in the work being done take a look at the Programs We Fund section on the Movember website:http://ca.movember.com/about/funding-overview/

Thank you in advance for supporting my efforts to change the face of men's health.

Ed Gorn

Diplomatic Appointments

October 15, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced the following diplomatic appointments:

Jon Allen becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, with concurrent accreditation to the Principality of Andorra.

Philip Calvert becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, with concurrent accreditation to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Pierre Giroux becomes Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador.

Michael Grant becomes Ambassador to Libya.

Richard Hanley becomes High Commissioner in Barbados, with concurrent accreditation in the Commonwealth of Dominica, in Grenada, in Antigua and Barbuda, and in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and becomes Consul General in the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat.

Alexandre Lévêque becomes High Commissioner in the United Republic of Tanzania, with concurrent accreditation in the Republic of Seychelles, and becomes Ambassador to the Union of the Comoros.

Ross Miller becomes Consul General in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).

Surprise! Photo Ops Come First

Jonathan Kay in the NP suggests why our $1.5 billion aid effort in Afghanistan has been judged a complete failure.

Foreign Affairs [unlike CIDA] doesn’t much care about poor people. They want Canadian aid to support whatever the current political game plan may be. So if Afghanistan is the hot topic of the day, they want a visible Canadian aid presence on the ground, new school buildings and medical centres with Canadian flags flying from them, perfect backdrops for the PM or Ministers’ photo-ops when they fly in to inspect this, that, or the other thing.”

DFAIT to Open Religious Freedom Office

What could possibly go wrong?

"... Canada is within days of opening a federal Office of Religious Freedom (within the Department of Foreign Affairs), and it’s becoming apparent that this isn’t a good idea for our country or the world. In fact, it’s very likely to contribute to the very problems we hope it might help solve."

Doug Saunders in the Globe, here.

2012 Maddick-Britton Results

It was a dark and stormy day, and for a while we contemplated a putting contest for the trophy but around 3 PM the rain abated (didn’t really stop) so we went out for 9. The course was soggy and the bunkers were filled with water but after a bit the greens were puttable, though slow, and all 29 golfers finished their rounds. And Bob Mason shot a 39 despite the weather, handily beating me 3 & 2 but Wiz lost too: not a day for your captains.

No twofer for the political+ side as the trade team won the cup: 9 wins to 5. The beef dinner was great and the level of discourse rose as the trade side enjoyed their well-deserved, and polec-provided wine. The rain delay did provide for extra time to tell lies and for old friends to work the room- suitable beverage in hand- so there was an up side to the poor weather.

Best question of the day was posed by Sandy Stefanik: should she rent a cart or a raft.

The Wiz and I look forward to being former captains and having Michel Lacourcière and Brian Parai still at the “Fort” should help those who replace us.

Mike Dungate had provided some prizes and we will vie for them next year; perhaps at Greensmere where Bob Mason and others are members.

All the best and keep hitting them far and sure. David (Stockwell) and Don (Wismer).

TCS in Social Media

LinkedIn Groups

Group: The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) - Le Service des délégués commerciaux du Canada (SDC) Subject: Doing Business in China || Faire des affaires en Chine Are you looking to export, invest, or develop innovation and R&D partnerships in China? If so, I'm pleased to invite you to join a new TCS sub-group dedicated to the topic of "Doing Business in China", organized by the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS). China represents a commercial force felt around the world. The TCS actively promotes Canadian commercial opportunities throughout China, while providing Canadian companies with the market intelligence, connections and support they need to capitalize on specific opportunities. Today, a company's success depends on the strength of its network. We have expanded our presence in China with the addition of six new trade offices to support Canadian business interests and cultivate opportunities in key commercial centres. The group provides Canadian companies with a forum to advance their understanding of business practices in China while demystifying the challenges and clarifying the advantages presented by this growing and vital market for Canadian business. TCS group members benefit from exchanges of information on activities, experiences, interests and successes in the market while expanding their commercial network of contacts. I welcome your continued participation in this new TCS sub-group for Doing Business in China and encourage you to refer a colleague. Join the discussions - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4618394 Best regards, Gregory Radych Manager, TCS Group LinkedIn ---------------------------------------------- Souhaitez-vous exporter, investir, mettre au point des innovations ou établir des partenariats de recherche et de développement (R­D) en Chine? Si c'est le cas, je suis heureux de vous inviter à vous joindre au nouveau sous-groupe SDC <>, lequel est organisé par le Service des délégués commerciaux du Canada (SDC). La Chine représente une force commerciale qui se fait sentir dans le monde entier. Le SDC fait activement la promotion des possibilités commerciales canadiennes dans l’ensemble de la Chine, tout en offrant aux entreprises du Canada l’information commerciale, les connexions et le soutien dont elles ont besoin pour tirer parti des débouchés précis. Aujourd'hui, la réussite d'une entreprise dépend de la force de son réseau. Nous avons élargi notre présence en Chine avec l’ajout de six nouveaux bureaux commerciaux afin d’appuyer les intérêts commerciaux du Canada et de favoriser les possibilités dans les principaux centres commerciaux. Le groupe offre aux entreprises canadiennes un forum pour les aider à mieux comprendre les pratiques commerciales en Chine tout en démystifiant les défis et en clarifiant les avantages présentés par ce marché essentiel et en pleine croissance pour les entreprises canadiennes. Les membres du groupe SDC profitent d’échanges d’informations portant sur les activités, les expériences, les intérêts et les réussites sur le marché tout en élargissant leur réseau commercial de contacts. J’espère que vous vous joindrez à ce nouveau sous-groupe SDC pour Faire des affaires en Chine et vous encourageons à recommander le groupe à un collègue. Plongez au cœur des discussions - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4618394 Cordialement, Gregory Radych Gestionnaire, Groupe SDC sur LinkedIn

FSNA Position Available

FSNA currently has a position of Director, Membership and Volunteer Services to fill. 

FSNA offers an excellent benefit package, including an RRSP plan. Salary is commensurate 

with experience. Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to 

careers@fsna.com.  Please reference the job title in the subject line.  Deadline for 

applications is Friday, September 28, 2012, at 4 p.m.

Diplomatic Appointments

August 24, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced the following diplomatic appointments:

Sébastien Beaulieu becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia.

Jonathan Fried becomes Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

Love Letter: from us to us

Trade Commissioner Service Helping Canada’s World-Class Financial Sector Flourish, Says Minister Fast

August 20, 2012 - The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today praised the strength of Canada’s financial sector and the role Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) plays in helping it succeed.

“Canada’s financial sector contributes about $250 billion to Canada’s annual economic activity, creating high-value jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Fast. “What few people realize is that our trade commissioners advise foreign banks looking to invest in Canada as well as Canadian financial institutions looking to expand abroad.”

Located in more than 150 cities worldwide and in regional offices across Canada, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service is Canada’s most extensive network of international business professionals. In the last year, the TCS engaged in nearly 450 interactions with Canadian and foreign financial institutions in support of their global market expansion efforts.

A recent example of Canadian investment abroad that was facilitated by the TCS is Manulife-Sinochem, a joint-venture company launched in China by Manulife (International) Limited and the China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Company (a member of the Sinochem group). In March 2012, Manulife-Sinochem received approval to establish a branch office in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei. Manulife-Sinochem now has 50 city licences in China, giving it the widest geographic footprint of any foreign-invested joint-venture insurance company in that country.

“Our success in China is not only a reflection of our deep roots and strategic commitment to the region, but it is also a testament to the outstanding support we have received from the Chinese and Canadian governments,” said Donald A. Guloien, President and CEO, Manulife Financial.

Another example is Bank of Montreal (BMO), which expanded in the Middle East with the opening of an office in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) in May.

“BMO’s new regional headquarters in the U.A.E. provides relationship coverage for institutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Middle East and North Africa, bringing us closer to the clients we have been serving in the area for decades,” said William Smith, head of the European and Middle East regions for BMO. “Our global asset management business is well positioned to continue expanding its institutional client base in the region. And of course we have long-standing industry relationships in North America. Our mergers and acquisitions group helps regional entities navigate emerging opportunities. The Trade Commissioner Service provided invaluable advice at the outset and throughout our expansion plan. The commissioners were proactive in putting us in touch with the contacts we needed to move forward.”

Trade commissioners in China played a key role in facilitating new foreign direct investment in Canada by the Bank of China.

The Canadian subsidiary of Bank of China opened its first branch in Canada in 1994 and now has nine branches in three cities: Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

“Canada’s financial sector continues to be very attractive for Bank of China,” said Wang Lijun, President and CEO of Bank of China (Canada). “We first established a presence in Canada in 1994 and recently expanded our presence to nine branches across the country. Our success continues to be based on our active commitment to Canadian communities, to contributing to bilateral economic and trade development between China and Canada, and to the tremendous support we have received from the financial supervising authorities and the Chinese and Canadian governments.”

For the past four years, the World Economic Forum has identified Canada as home to the soundest banking system in the world. Six of the world’s safest banks and four of North America’s 10 largest banks are Canadian. Three Canadian life and health insurers rank in the top 15 of the world's largest life and health insurance companies. Canadian insurers are active in over 20 countries around the world. The financial services sector, which includes banks, insurance companies and asset management firms, is the largest subsector of Canada’s services economy.

DFAIT Cuts Back on Printers

As part of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), departments are required to reduce, significantly, the ratio of printing, scanning, photocopying and fax devices to employee by March 31, 2014. To comply with the FSDS, the Department’s target ratio is 12:1. The current ratio at Headquarters is 2.5:1. To reach the target ratio, the number of printers at Headquarters must be reduced from the current 1,850 devices to 400 devices.

About time -- nearly every horizontal space at Pearson has an HP printer sitting on it -- one for every 2.5 employees! Perhaps they'll have a garage sale, and throw in toner cartridges.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

National Association of Federal Retirees (FSNA)


Vacancy - Ontario Provincial / Territorial Advocacy Officer (PAO/TAO)


Due to the pending retirement of the incumbent, applications and nominations
are now invited for one or more positions as Ontario PAO/TAO. Reporting to the
National Director (ND), the PAO/TAO is responsible for observing, assessing, and
advising on matters of interest and concern to FSNA and its members. Some liaison
will be required with provincial officers and agencies. The PAO/TAO works within
terms of reference authorized by the association, and in accordance with a budget
allowance established by the ND. Some travel is required. Please send applications
and nominations, with full resume and statement of interest, to: 


  The ND Ontario and Nunavut 
  shibumi.management@gmail.com 
  or 184 Larkin Dr., Nepean, ON  K2J 1H9

Death of Gary Harman/Décès de Gary Harman

Today's Ottawa Citizen carried the obituary below.  Please note the visitation reception today, July 27, from 7 to 9 pm and funeral tomorrow, July 28, at 4 pm, both at Mackay United Church.  Vous trouverez çi dessous la nécrologie de Gary Harman; à noter: visitation-réception aujourd'hui le 27 juillet de 19h à 21h et obsèques demain le 28 juillet à 16h; les deux se tiennent à l'église Mackay United.

Gary Harman

          

April 14, 1929 - July 24, 2012 Born April 14, 1929 in Winnipeg, Gary passed away of natural causes, July 24, 2012, he was 83 years old. He is survived by his brother Reginald Harman and sister-in-law Isabel, Winnipeg; his wife, Margaret Harman (née Siddall), Ottawa and their three children, Lesley (children Matthew, Daniel and Beth), London; Edward (children Sarah and Adam), Calgary and Katherine (child Mhari), Halifax. Gary's father was the pharmacist/owner of Harman's Drug Store, which was a community centre point in the Depression years in Winnipeg. Gary attended Gordon Bell HS, starred as 'Duke' in the Gondoliers and graduated with the Governor-General's Medal in 1947. While in high school he studied piano, completing University of Manitoba music degrees: AMM in 1946 and LRSM in 1948. When he was 20, Gary was described as a 'brilliant young pianist'. Between 1946-62 he made ten recordings covering Grieg, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and Chopin. He carried music scholarships to the University of Manitoba where he completed a BA (Hon) History in 1950. He was hired into the Department of Trade and Commerce, and then in 1952 went to New York City in the United Nations International Intern Program. In 1954 he married his sweetheart, Margaret Siddall of Winnipeg, and they moved to New York City to begin their 58 year marriage together. They embraced the big city and often spoke fondly about their time in the tiny apartment on a tinier budget. Soon, Gary was launched into his foreign service career and with Margaret they represented Canada on seven international posts (Prague, Washington, Moscow, Cairo, Havana, Amman and Damascus/Beirut). He retired in 1993 and lived in Ottawa. Gary loved the arts, music, opera, ballet, orchestra and theatre. He was a strong supporter of the United Church of Canada. He and Margaret travelled extensively, taking full advantage of their postings as launching spots for adventure. He picked up languages easily, mastering French, Russian, Polish,Czech, Arabic, Spanish and German at different times in his life. Visitation reception Friday July 27th 7-9 pm at the Memorial Hall, Mackay United Church, 39 Dufferin Street (at Mackay), Ottawa, Ontario K1M 2H3. Funeral Saturday July 28th 4:00 pm at Mackay United Church, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to make a donation to the Mission and Outreach Fund of the United Church of Canada through MacKay United Church.

Published in The Ottawa Citizen on July 27, 2012  

Ian Smythe: RIP

SMYTH, Ian Ross
Ian Ross Smyth died peacefully at home on Saturna Island, British Columbia on Saturday, 23 June 2012 at the age of 81. Born 27 February 1931 in Cornwall, Ontario to Clara (Wereley) and Victor Smyth, Ian is survived by his wife, Susie Washington-Smyth, daughters Cynthia and Hilary Smyth, and stepchildren Omar and Sierra Washington. He will also be missed and remembered by his grandchildren Madeleine and Alexander Johnston, his sons-in-law Martin Manson and Andy Johnston, and stepdaughter-in-law, Euriphile Joseph. Ian is also survived by his former wife, Margot Smyth. Predeceased by his brother Wesley Smyth and his sister Chloe Prokos, Ian is also survived by his remaining sister, Frances Errington, nieces Susie Muth, Lesley and Jeannie (Smyth), Margaret Errington, and nephews Joe Errington and Stewart Smyth. Finally and not least, Ian leaves a well-filled, well-used and much-loved kitchen, library, music collection and oceanside home, all of which he shared generously with his family and dear friends. All will remember him for his quick wit, love of a stiff drink and a boyish twinkle in his eyes. Leaving Ontario as a young man, Mr Smyth spent many adventurous years, mostly in the Canadian West, where he worked among other things at soil engineering on the Trans-Canada highway, as a cowboy in New Mexico, a radio DJ and director at the CBC...somehow along the way finding time to play fullback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for a season. In his late twenties, he left this phase of life behind to attend the University of British Columbia. After graduating from the UBC with an Honours degree in Economics and Political Science, Mr Smyth began a career with the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce where he served in Australia, Rhodesia and England as a Trade Commissioner and subsequently Commercial Counsellor. After 12 years with IT&C, he pursued two further careers: the first culminating in his role as Assistant Secretary of Personnel Policy at the Treasury Board in Ottawa, where he also taught at the Carleton University School of Public Policy and Administration. After leaving the public sector Mr Smyth finished his career as President of the Canadian Petroleum Association in Calgary AB, retiring in 1992. The family would like to thank Irene te Hennepe and Pam Janszen for their care during Ian's last weeks at home. At Ian's request, there will be no services of any kind. Donations in Ian's memory may be made to the Saturna Island Fire Protection Society or to the Saturna Island Recreation and Cultural Centre Society.

International Trade Luncheon - 2012 - Le déjeuner annuel du Commerce international

La version française suit

The 2012 Annual International Trade Luncheon will be held at the National Arts Centre's Rooftop Terrace Tent in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Come early to network with colleagues before the seating for the lunch begins at 12:15 p.m.   

This year’s event will feature a 3-course plated lunch, fantastic panoramic views of Parliament Hill and the great company of friends – old and new.  You are invited to this annual celebration of our organization.  Also, this year’s recipient of the Ken Sunquist Award for Service Excellence in International Trade will be announced at the Luncheon.

Tickets are $40 – cash or cheque (only) – and must be purchased in advance.  A cash bar will be available. The last day to buy tickets is Tuesday, June 5, 2012.  Tickets are non-refundable.  Please note that we will not be able to set aside tickets for payment at the door on the day of the event; all tickets must be purchased no later than June 5.

           

To obtain tickets and information please contact:

David Froom (BTR), tel. 613.995.3576

David.Froom@international.gc.ca

Please make cheques payable to: Annual International Trade Luncheon

If you know of other colleagues who might be interested, please forward this message to them.  DFAIT does not maintain a distribution list of employee alumni so there may be errors or omissions.

We hope to see you there!

********************

Le déjeuner annuel du Commerce international 2012 aura lieu dans le pavillon du Centre national des Arts à Ottawa, le mardi 12 juin 2012, de 11 h 30 à 14 h 00. En arrivant tôt, vous aurez la possibilité d’échanger avec vos collègues avant que le service du déjeuner ne commence, à 12 h 15.

Nous aurons droit cette année à un succulent déjeuner de trois services, agrémenté d’une vue époustouflante du Parlement et de l’agréable compagnie de nos amis, récents ou de longue date. Vous êtes cordialement invités à cette célébration annuelle de notre organisation. Également, le prix Ken Sunquist pour l’excellence du service en Commerce international pour cette année sera remis à cette occasion.

Les billets au coût de 40 $ – payables seulement soit en argent comptant soit par chèque – doivent être achetés à l’avance, au plus tard le mardi 5 juin 2012. Les billets sont non-remboursables. Un bar à la carte sera à votre disposition. Veuillez noter que la mise de côté de billets en vue d’être payés sur place le jour même ne sera pas autorisée; tous les billets doivent être payés au plus tard le 5 juin.

Pour plus de renseignements ou pour obtenir votre billet, communiquez avec :

David Froom (BTR), tél. 613-995-3576

David.Froom@international.gc.ca

Prière de faire votre chèque à l’ordre de : Déjeuner annuel du Commerce international

Si vous connaissez des collègues qui pourraient être intéressés par cette activité, veuillez leur transmettre le présent message. Le MAECI ne maintien pas de liste de distribution des anciens employés et donc il se peut qu’il y ait des erreurs ou omissions.

En espérant vous y voir!

The Organizing Committee | Le comité organisateur

2012 Annual International Trade Luncheon | Déjeuner annuel du Commerce international 2012

Trade Commissioner Service Renewal Division (BTR) | Direction du renouveau du Service des délégués commerciaux (BTR)

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada | Affaires étrangères et Commerce international Canada

Telephone | Téléphone 613-995-3576

Facsimile | Télécopieur 613-944-0497

125 Sussex Drive | 125, promenade Sussex, Ottawa, ON  K1A 0G2

Victoria Contingent Staying in Touch

The Wet Coast gang met on April 23 rd at the Penny Farthing pub in Oak Bay. Attending were Michael Clark and Jim Ganderton  from Salt Spring, Jon Swanson from North Sanich, David Horley and Cecile Latour, passing through, David Roberts, Doug Campbell, Bob Turner, Bill Ross, Vic Lotto, Jim Welsh and Ed Price.


-- Doug Campbell

The Axe Falleth

Foreign Affairs prepares to cut, diplomatically

Budgetary belt-tightening comes with strategic redeployment

By Greg Weston, CBC News 

Posted: Apr 27, 2012 9:53 PM ET 

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2012 9:41 PM ET

Article.