Norman Alexander Robertson,
Former Clerk of the Privy Council (1949-1952)

Norman Alexander Robertson, C.C.
Clerk of the Privy Council and
Secretary to the Cabinet
March 15, 1949 to May 31, 1952

Biographical Notes

On March 15, 1949, Norman Alexander Robertson was appointed Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, a position he held until May 31, 1952.

Mr. Robertson studied at the University of British Columbia as well as at Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar and at the Brookings Graduate School in Washington, D.C. He joined the Department of External Affairs in 1929, remaining there until the late 1930s when he was seconded to Prime Minister King’s staff. In 1941, Mr. Robertson was appointed Under Secretary of State for External Affairs. He played an important role in the wartime administration and accompanied the Prime Minister to the major international conferences during and after the Second World War, including the United Nations Conference in San Francisco in 1945 and the Commonwealth Prime Ministers meeting in London in 1946. He served two terms as Canadian High Commissioner in London (1946-49 and 1952-57) and one year as Canadian Ambassador in Washington (1957-58). He served again as Under Secretary of State for External Affairs from 1958 to 1964. In 1966, Mr. Robertson became the first Director of the School of International Affairs at Carleton University. In 1967, he was appointed Companion of the Order of Canada for his nearly 40 years of service to Canada as a public servant and career diplomat. He passed away on July 16, 1968.

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