Diplomatic Appointments Announced

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced the six following diplomatic appointments:

Jacques Roy, born in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec, as Ambassador to the French Republic.

Gaëtan Lavertu, born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, as Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Terry Colfer, born in Croydon, England, as Ambassador to the State of Kuwait with concurrent accreditation to the State of Qatar.

Arsène A. Després, born in Cocagne, New Brunswick, as Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia.

Anne Leahy, born in Quebec City, Quebec, as Ambassador to the Russian Federation.

C. William (Bill) Ross, born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, as Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia.

PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

(Biographical notes attached)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Jacques Roy (Études classiques aux Séminaires de Gaspé et de Rimouski; B.A., Laval University, 1955; LL.L, Laval University, 1958; Barreau du Québec, 1959; London School of Economics, 1959-1960) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1960 and served abroad in Prague, Havana and in Brussels at the Canadian Delegation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, where he was Deputy Permanent Representative. From 1981 to 1982, he was Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with concurrent accreditation to North Yemen, South Yemen, Oman and Somalia, and from 1982 to 1986, he was Minister and Deputy Head of Mission in Washington. From 1990 to 1994 he served as Ambassador to Switzerland and since 1994 he has been Ambassador to the European Union in Brussels. In Ottawa, Mr. Roy held the positions of Assistant Secretary (Foreign Affairs and Defence) and Adviser to the Prime Minister for International Relations at the Privy Council Office; and, in the Department of External Affairs, he was Director General, Economic Affairs Bureau; Assistant Deputy Minister, Personnel Branch; and Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe Branch. He is married to Sylvia Akerlind and has four children and two step-children. Mr. Roy succeeds the Honourable Benoît Bouchard.

Gaëtan Lavertu (M.A. [Political Science/International Relations], Laval University, 1968; M.B.A., University of Western Ontario, 1969; M.P.A., École nationale d'administration publique, 1974) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1969, after serving as an officer in the Canadian Navy. He served abroad in Madrid, Rabat, Caracas and at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the European Communities in Brussels from 1979 to 1982. He served as Ambassador to Colombia and Ecuador from 1987 to 1989 and as Deputy High Commissioner in London from 1989 to 1992. In Ottawa, Mr. Lavertu has held a number of positions including, Senior Assistant to the Deputy Minister (Foreign Policy); Director of Intelligence Analysis; Director General of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau; and from 1992 to 1994 as Assistant Deputy Minister, Political and International Security Affairs Branch. Since 1994, he has been Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. As Political Director for Canada since 1992, Mr. Lavertu has acted as co-ordinator on foreign policy issues and represented Canada at numerous international conferences. He is married to Donate Lavertu and they have two children. Mr. Lavertu succeeds Paul Heinbecker.

Terry Colfer (B.A. [Political Science], McGill University and Royal Military College, 1965; Banff School of Advanced Management, Alberta, 1985) joined the Department of Immigration (Foreign Service) in 1969. He served abroad in Rome, Dallas, Sydney, Detroit and in Boston, where he was Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner from 1990 to 1994. In Ottawa with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr. Colfer held a number of positions including Director, Overseas Division and Director, U.S. Trade and Tourism Development Division. Since 1994 he has been Director, South Asia Division. He is married to Lynn Colfer and they have three sons. Mr. Colfer succeeds Christopher Poole.

Arsène A. Després (B.A., Université de Moncton, New Brunswick, 1960; M.P.A., Université du Québec (École nationale d'administration publique), 1975) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1968. He served abroad in Yaoundé, Warsaw and Vienna, where, from 1979 to 1981, he was Counsellor and Deputy Head of the Canadian Delegation to the Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction Talks. He served as Counsellor and Alternate Representative of Canada to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva from 1984 to 1988 and as Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon from 1992 to 1995. In Ottawa, Mr. Després worked in the European Division, the Information Division and the Defence Relations Division and, from 1988 to 1992, he served as Director of the Energy and Nuclear Affairs Division. Currently, Mr. Després is at the University of Moncton as Diplomatic Visitor in the Political Science Department. He is married to Lorraine Vienneau and they have three children. Mr. Després succeeds Michel Roy.

Anne Leahy (B.A. Honours, Queen's University, 1972; M.A. [Economics], University of Toronto, 1973) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1973 and served abroad in Brussels with the Mission of Canada to the European Communities, in Moscow, and in Paris with the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. From 1989 to 1992, she served as Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic. Since 1993 Ms. Leahy has held the postion of Ambassador to the Republic of Poland. In Ottawa, Ms. Leahy worked in a number of areas including as Director, Political/Economic and Social Affairs Streams Personnel Division and Director General, Policy Branch. Ms. Leahy succeeds Jeremy Kinsman.

C. William (Bill) Ross (B.SC., University of Manitoba, 1966) joined the Department of Trade and Commerce in 1966. He served abroad in Brasilia, Canberra and in The Hague as Minister-Counsellor (Commercial). Mr. Ross was Consul General in Rio de Janeiro from 1984 to 1985, in Perth, Australia, from 1985 to 1987 and in Sao Paulo from 1989 to 1992. In Ottawa, with the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Mr. Ross held a number of positions including Regional Co-ordinator, Asia and Pacific; Assistant Chief, Pacific Division; Chief, Textiles and Clothing Policy; Director, Caribbean and Central American Division; and Director, South America Trade Development Division. Since 1992, Mr. Ross has held the positions of Director General, Grain Marketing Bureau and Director General, International Markets Bureau at Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. He is married to Judith Ross and they have three children. Mr. Ross succeeds Archibald McArthur.