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.
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