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www.policymagazine.ca January — February 2023
Canadian Politics and Public Policy
The Diplomats
$7.95 Volume 11 – Issue 1
B
Meeting
the challenges
of winter
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Investing in infrastructure and technology for
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Policy
In This
Canadian Politics Issue
and Public
2 FromPolicy
the Editor / L. Ian MacDonald
The Diplomats
Canadian Politics and
Public Policy 3 Bob Rae
Memories of My Father: Sharing a Mission, 50 Years Apart
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
L. Ian MacDonald
lianmacdonald@gmail.com 7 Larisa Galadza
Dispatch from a Wartime Ambassador
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lisa Van Dusen
lvandusen@policymagazine.ca
9 Jeremy Kinsman
The Strengths and Weaknesses of Canada’s Diplomacy Game
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Thomas S. Axworthy, Andrew Balfour,
Yaroslav Baran, James Baxter,
12 Lisa Van Dusen
Trade Diplomacy in a Time of Flux: Policy Q&A With Nadia Theodore
Daniel Béland, Derek H. Burney,
Catherine Cano, Stéphanie Chouinard,
Margaret Clarke, David Coletto ,
14 Kerry Buck
Changing the Face of Security: Being a Woman Ambassador
Rachel Curran, Paul Deegan, John to NATO
Delacourt, Susan Delacourt, Graham
Fraser, Dan Gagnier, Helaina Gaspard,
Martin Goldfarb, Sarah Goldfeder, Patrick 17 Ailish Campbell
Letter from Brussels: The Power of a United Response
Gossage, Frank Graves, David Johnston,
Jeremy Kinsman, Shachi Kurl, Philippe
Lagassé, Brad Lavigne, Jeremy Leonard, 20 Lisa Van Dusen
Policy Q&A with Senator Peter Boehm: Is Canada’s Foreign
Kevin Lynch, Leslie MacKinnon, Peter
Service ‘Fit for Purpose’?
Mansbridge, Carissima Mathen, Elizabeth
May, Velma McColl, Elizabeth Moody
McIninch, David McLaughlin, 23 Michael W. Manulak and Duncan Snidal
How the Internet Has Changed Multilateral Diplomacy
David Mitchell, Don Newman,
Geoff Norquay, Fen Osler-Hampson,
Kevin Page, André Pratte, 26 Don Newman
Diplomacy as Crisis Management
Lee Richardson, Colin Robertson,
Robin V. Sears, Vianne Timmons,
Brian Topp, Lori Turnbull, Jaime Watt,
Anthony Wilson-Smith, Dan
27 Mike Blanchfield and Fen Osler Hampson
How the Free World Helped Free Two Canadians: Diplomacy
Woynillowicz and the Two Michaels
WEB DESIGN
Nicolas Landry
policy@nicolaslandry.ca
Book Reviews
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
Gray MacDonald
gmacdonald@policymagazine.ca
30 Review by Bill Fox
Above the Fold: A Personal History of the Toronto Star
GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRODUCTION By John Honderich
Benoit Deneault
DESIGN CONSULTANT 33 Review by Gray MacDonald
Hope is a Woman’s Name
Monica Thomas
By Amal Elsana Alh’jooj
Policy
Policy is published six times annually 35 Review by Colin Robertson
Master Negotiator: The Role of James A. Baker, III at the End of
by LPAC Ltd. The contents are
copyrighted, but may be reproduced the Cold War
with permission and attribution in By Diana Villiers Negroponte
print, and viewed free of charge at the
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From the Editor / L. Ian MacDonald
The Diplomats
W
elcome to our special issue, Ailish Campbell, our Ambassador to Huawei Technologies, in response to
The Diplomats, on the Ca- the European Union, offers a perspec- an extradition request by US author-
nadians who represent our tive from Brussels, as she notes, “in the ities. It’s called hostage diplomacy,
country to the world, a very different context of war”—Russia’s invasion of and as Mike Blanchard and Fen Os-
world in terms of issues and oppor- Ukraine. Many of the repercussions ler-Hampson write in their book, The
tunities than the one inherited from against Putin’s criminal acts, from re- Two Michaels, their release “was the
previous generations. taliation to sanctions, from the EU to result of intensive behind the scenes
We begin with a personal recollection NATO and the G7, have unfolded on diplomacy led by Canada’s Ambassa-
and reflection from Bob Rae, Canada’s the diplomatic stage in Brussels after dor to Beijing, Dominic Barton.” No
Ambassador and Permanent Repre- consultations and conversations be- career diplomat, but an international
sentative to the United Nations, who hind the scenes. business consultant and former CEO
shares memories of a cherished prede- Peter Boehm served as Canada’s G7 of McKinsey and Company.
I
cessor on that global stage, his own fa- Sherpa, and now keeps a close eye on n Book Reviews, we lead with a de-
ther, Saul Rae. Like father like son. As foreign affairs and diplomacy from lightful essay from Bill Fox on John
Bob writes in Memories of My Father: his seat in the Senate, where he chairs Honderich’s memoir of his life at
“Modern Canadian diplomacy has to the Standing Committee on Foreign the Toronto Star, completed shortly
speak with confidence, candour, hu- Affairs and International Trade. He before his sudden passing last year at
mour and honesty and to ensure that took time for a virtual conversation of the age of 75. Honderich was the heir
its acts and deeds match its words.” email exchanges with Policy Associate apparent of Beland Honderich, and
In a riveting dispatch from Ukraine, Editor Lisa Van Dusen, who has been shared his father’s signature question
Canadian Ambassador Larissa Galadza our lead in assembling The Diplomats in the newsroom: “What does it mean
writes: “From Kyiv, I can see and feel cover thematic. to Metro?” As in Toronto. And Fox,
the work of Canadian Heads of Mission himself a former “Star man” writes
Michael Manulak of Carleton Univer-
around the globe as they find ways to that John practised “the Star’s philos-
sity’s Norman Paterson School and
move the world to choke off President ophy” to “get it first, serve it up, play
Oxford’s Duncan Snidal offer their
Putin’s and Russia’s war machine.” it big,” Fox concludes that his friend
thoughts on How the Internet has
was “determined to be the son who
Jeremy Kinsman, an old diplomatic Changed International Diplomacy. As
did the job.”
hand and our lead foreign affairs writ- they write: “Now ‘Zoom Diplomacy’
er, observes that “Canada’s version and digital diplomacy generally have From Policy Social Media Editor Gray
of ‘soft power’ needs diplomats to be brought transformative change,” MacDonald, we offer a strong review
able to speak semi-autonomously in of Hope is a Woman’s Name by Amal
In his column, Don Newman offers
the agitated global marketplace.” Elsana Alh’jooj. Gray writes that the
some insights into the changing line-
memoir “covers a journey that has
Nadia Theodore, Canada’s new Am- up of practising diplomats he’s seen
taken her from a childhood herding
bassador to the World Trade Organi- in a remarkable career spanning more
sheep…to an international life of ac-
zation, says in an interview that “we than half a century. “Foreign policy
tivism for peacemaking and minori-
are in an sweet spot of expertise meet- and international affairs have passed
ty rights.”
ing opportunity” at the WTO. from experts at foreign ministries and
embassies,” he writes, “to a much larg- Finally, Colin Robertson looks at Mas-
Former Ambassador to NATO Kerry
er community of special interests.” ter Negotiator by Diana Villiers Negro-
Buck reflects on the role of women
ponte, an important book on a great
in diplomacy. “Senior women dip- Some of those special interests’ hands
American diplomat, James A. Baker, US
lomats across countries understand were apparent in the backstage diplo-
Secretary of State under the first Presi-
how tricky it can be to be a woman macy involved in the release of Ca-
dent George Bush, who led the peace-
working in international diplomacy,” nadians Michael Kovrig and Michael
ful transition from the end of the Cold
she writes. “We stick together and of- Spavor after a thousand days in cap-
War and the dissolution of the Soviet
fer support to each other in ways that tivity in China, where they had been
empire, to the New World Order.
male diplomats might not, because seized following the arrest at Vancou-
they don’t have to.” ver Airport of Meng Wanzou, CFO of Enjoy.
Policy
3
Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae and Haitian Foreign Minister Jean Victor Geneus after a Security Council meeting on the secu-
rity and economic crisis in Haiti. --UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
Memories of My Father:
Sharing a Mission,
50 Years Apart
When Bob Rae was appointed Canada’s ambassador to Bob Rae
the United Nations in 2020, the political backlash was
M
y father Saul joined the for-
nonexistent. Rae is respected by all parties, and there was eign service in the summer
an element of anticipation — what sort of diplomat will he of 1940. With the help of a
Massey Fellowship, he had gone from
be? There was also the symmetry of his own father, Saul the University of Toronto to the Lon-
Rae’s, service in the same post 50 years earlier. As Rae has don School of Economics, where he
fervently upheld the Canadian values of democracy, hu- received a doctorate in 1938, and af-
ter a postgraduate year at Oxford,
man rights and pluralism amid an illegal war in Ukraine went to work with George Gallup in
and other crises, the question about his diplomatic style Princeton, New Jersey. He married
has been answered. Here’s the story of his late father’s path my mother, Lois, who was English,
in the fall of 1939, and together they
to the UN, and his own. drove up to Ottawa in an old Ford. He
soon went to work as executive assis-
tant to Norman Robertson, who had
been promoted to under-secretary
January—February 2023
4
(What we would now call a deputy assistant to Lester Pearson when he He enjoyed mentoring younger col-
minister) when the hard-driving Dr served as president of the UN Gener- leagues, who were frequent guests at
O.D. Skelton died of a massive heart al Assembly), Hanoi — serving alone our home, and appreciated, in those
attack. for more than a year with the Inter- days, being able to work with two
national Control Commission — ambassadors who were both mentors
The Department, as it immodestly
Washington (David arriving in 1957), and friends — Arnold Heeney (who
called itself, was located in the East
Geneva, Mexico, the UN again, and had been Clerk of the Privy Coun-
Block on Parliament Hill. It consist-
finally at The Hague, from where he cil in the East Block during the war),
ed of fewer than a hundred employ-
retired in 1980. and Norman Robertson.
ees, with missions in London, Paris,
Washington and Geneva, and its en- The friends my father made in The
tire preoccupation in 1940 was the Our comfort level Department and in the wider world
prosecution of the war effort. The with exclusively quiet were friends for life. He had a ca-
prime minister of the day, Macken- diplomacy, where white men reer he believed in, whose values
zie King, had his offices in the same were deeply felt, and made, with my
in striped suits settle issues mother, a life marked by great hu-
building, as did his small person-
al staff and the Privy Council. My privately in a corner, or mour, love, and devotion that they
Dad’s “class” at that time included where nation states assume shared in full measure with their
Herbert Norman, Arthur Menzies, that asserting the primacy children.
Ralph Collins, Ed Ritchie, and others of sovereignty will somehow My father served as ambassador to
who would go on to become pillars the UN in Geneva from 1962-67,
of Canadian diplomacy. The foreign
answer all questions, must
and in New York from 1972-76. It
service grew during the war with new be irrevocably thrown out was a time when the membership in
recruits, and then more substantially the window. the UN grew rapidly, and decoloni-
in the years after 1945, when Can- zation was the order of the day. The
ada was playing an ever-increasing economic and social structures creat-
role in creating the institutions that He was happiest serving abroad, as ed in the years after 1945 were be-
marked the post-war international The Department grew bigger, even- ing tested by the arrival of develop-
order. tually moving to the Pearson Build- ing countries, who felt that the UN
ing, a fortress on Sussex Drive. He itself needed to do more to correct
Work was endless, morale was high, felt that life in diplomacy was be-
and my father’s life was a strong com- the global imbalance. The Cold War
coming too bureaucratic, too lay- was in full swing, albeit with mod-
bination of deep policy engagement ered, too hierarchical, and much less
and boundless mirth and humour. est progress on disarmament and
personal. In his early days, everyone nuclear testing, and Middle Eastern
He had spent his early days on the knew everyone, there was no wide
vaudeville stage, with his sister Grace conflict (the Suez Crisis in 1956, the
gap between officials and politicians,
Six-Day War in 1967, and the Yom
and his younger brother Jackie, in and he felt it was more possible to
Kippur War in 1973) was a constant
an act dubbed “The Three Little Raes make an impact.
preoccupation. Throughout it all, he
of Sunshine”. His love of music and
It was in Washington that I became maintained strong personal relation-
comedy never left him, held in check
aware of what my Dad did, and how ships with diplomats from all sides
only by a fear that he might not be
he did it. His most obvious profes- — he spoke fluent French, English,
taken as seriously as some of his fel-
sional characteristic, to me, was hard and Spanish after his tour of duty
low diplomats.
work. He was indefatigable; working in Mexico, and knew all the senior
A
fter working at the centre of in the evenings, sitting in a chair in officials at the UN well. He had the
things in Ottawa for a couple his study going over “telegrams”, re- highest regard for them.
M
of years, he was sent off to join ports, editing reports of others, writ-
y own path to a formal dip-
General Georges P. Vanier in Algiers, ing speeches for himself and others.
lomatic career was much
leaving his pregnant wife behind. He remained an avid reader of histo-
more circuitous. Being a
When France was liberated, he went ry, political analysis, and novels until
student at the International School
to Paris to reclaim the Embassy. My his death in 1999.
of Geneva in the 60s had a lifelong
mother and my sister Jennifer were
On Saturdays, he would take me into influence, and throughout my first
reunited with him there and brother
work at the old Canadian chancery chosen career in politics I kept up a
John arrived in October of 1945, bap-
on Embassy Row in Washington — strong interest in global affairs, both
tized as John Alain Rae. Dad served as the Canadian embassy before the Ar- as an MP and political leader in On-
Secretary of the Delegation to the Par- thur Erickson landmark was erected tario. When the Oslo Accords were
is Peace Conference. in our prime spot on Pennsylvania signed in 1993, we organized a re-
Postings to Ottawa (I arrived in Au- Ave. — and tell me to read a book ception for both the Canadian Jew-
gust of 1948), London, New York (as while he continued with his routine. ish and Palestinian communities at
Policy
5
connect by secure video conference
with Global Affairs colleagues in Ot-
tawa, and with meetings of Cabinet
committees.
But some things have not changed:
the public meetings of the UN are
marked by endless repetition of
talking points, more often than
not prepared by officials in capitals
whose main purpose seems to be
to make sure that all boxes of strict
conformity with domestic correct-
ness have been ticked and no pos-
sible tangent left unexplored. There
are contentious divides, but they are
more complex. The divide between
richer and poorer, authoritarian and
democratic, digitally connected and
unconnected, egalitarian and patri-
archal, dogmatic and pluralist, cli-
mate concerned and climate com-
placent, the list goes on — there are
many fault lines, not just the obvi-
ous ones.
Retired UN Ambassador Saul Rae at the family cottage in Portland , Ontario in 1984 with son Bob,
then NDP Leader in Ontario. --Rae family photo Canada took its place as a middle
power after the Second World War,
the Ontario Legislature, and I took a tion of Canadian diplomacy around and we have never left. What has
delegation of business leaders to Isra- the world. changed is the world around us. The
M
el, the West Bank, and Jordan. As pre- rise of China and other rapidly in-
y re-election to the Canadi- dustrializing countries, the explo-
mier, I travelled frequently to the US, an Parliament in 2008 led
Europe, and Asia, and was part of the sion of new technologies, and the
immediately to my five- presence of deeper threats, mean
first Team Canada mission to China year appointment as Liberal Par-
in the fall of 1994. that our comfort level with exclu-
ty spokesman on foreign affairs. In sively quiet diplomacy, where white
Later, I helped set up the Forum of 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau men in striped suits settle issues pri-
Federations, an international NGO appointed me special envoy to Myan- vately in a corner, or where nation
based in Canada whose mission is mar and asked me to help develop states assume that asserting the pri-
to study and promote pluralism Canada’s approach to the Rohing- macy of sovereignty will somehow
and better governance. Because of ya crisis, then to humanitarian and answer all questions, must be irrevo-
the circumstances surrounding the refugee issues more broadly. On July cably thrown out the window. And
end of the Cold War, the Forum got 6th, 2020, he appointed me Canadi- it must be replaced by a firm recog-
drawn into dealing with conflict an Ambassador and Permanent Rep- nition that global engagement has
resolution and constitution-making resentative to the United Nations, to be at the centre of domestic de-
in a number of countries, and my where I’ve taken on the job my Dad cision-making in every country, and
own work in this field took me to held 50 years ago. that decision makers have to be pre-
many places — Sri Lanka, Myanmar, In those days, there was no inter- pared to act more coherently and
Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mexi- net, social media, COVID-19, wor- quickly in real time, explaining why
co, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Su- ries about climate change, brutal, ki- they are doing what they’ve con-
dan, Kenya, the Middle East, Iraq, netic aggression by Russia against cluded they have to do.
E
St. Kitts and Nevis, Eastern Europe, Ukraine, or debates on digital divides nding gender bias, homopho-
the UK, Spain, and, of course, the or LGBTQ rights. The sheer volume bia, misogyny, racism, all fears
older federal countries such as the of meetings of all kinds on these and that repress people and make
US, Canada, Germany and Switzer- so many other issues has exploded. life so difficult for millions of human
land. I wrote about my experiences The Canadian mission has expand- beings is sometimes falsely called
in global governance, the perils and ed, now sharing a floor in a Mid- “political correctness” or “wokeness”.
benefits of mediating disputes of all town office building with the Cana- Personal lives and careers in the for-
kinds, and saw firsthand the evolu- dian consulate in New York, and we eign services of every country, includ-
January—February 2023
6
Special envoy Bob Rae briefs Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the Rohingya crisis at the APEC summit in Da Nang, Vietnam, in October 2017.
Then-Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland (second from left) and Gerry Butts, then the PM’s Principal Secretary (right) are among the senior
officials in the meeting. --Adam Scotti photo
ing Canada, have been devastated by and platitudes, and some compro- Dad often quoted Robert Browning’s
these terrible prejudices and it is only mises are better than others, and ev- words, “Man’s reach must exceed his
right that we use our diplomatic voic- erybody knows how disheartening grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”
es and policies to put them firmly be- some choices can be, but the search
Canadian diplomacy has not irrevo-
hind us, and to embrace the values of for perfection brings its own form of
cably declined, but it sometimes los-
equality, diversity, and inclusion. terror.
es its way, its sense of its own context
Civil society played a key role in the and history, its awareness of both its
creation of the UN, and the UN Char- Dad often quoted strengths and weaknesses.
ter’s preamble begins with the words, Robert Browning’s Because of the ravages of a stroke suf-
“We, the peoples of the United Na- words, ‘Man’s reach must fered in his 60s, my Dad was never
tions…”. The most active engagement
exceed his grasp, or what’s able to write his memoir. It was to be
with public opinion requires the great- titled Shake Thoroughly Before Using:
est openness, transparency and inclu- a heaven for?’
For External Use Only. After my first few
sion in everything we do. There is no months in New York, some brave em-
avoiding the scrutiny and judgment ployees, noting my tendency to shake
To cut through the din of lies, dis-
of the global commons, as much as things up a bit, sent me a plaque en-
information, propaganda, and the
some might feel more comfortable do- graved “Hurricane Bob”. When I was
equal sins of duplicity, self-serving
ing business that way. Modern diplo- appointed to this job, a reporter asked
rhetoric and an inability to make
macy is messy, confusing, often loud, me what my father would have to say.
decisions in a clear and timely way,
and never reaches conclusions that ev- I’m sure he would have said, “Finally.
modern Canadian diplomacy has to
eryone can wholeheartedly accept. What took you so long?” And I would
speak with confidence, candour, hu-
As Leonard Cohen reminded us, have answered, “I had to make a few
mour, and honesty, and has to en-
“There are no perfect offerings, there stops along the way.”
sure that its acts and deeds match its
is a crack in everything. That’s where words. We all know in our own lives Bob Rae is Canada’s Permanent Rep-
the light gets in.” The light is some- how difficult this can be, and how resentative to the United Nations and a
times accompanied by smoke, spin, we inevitably fall short of the mark. contributing writer for Policy magazine.
Policy
7
Dispatch from a
Wartime Ambassador
Canada is home to more Ukrainians than any other coun- America and the Caribbean, the Middle
East, and Africa. We made sure it was
try in the world beyond Ukraine itself and Russia. So, when well known that Russia was destroying
Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, agricultural infrastructure and holding
Canada’s response was not only strategic through NATO grain hostage in Ukraine, while trying
to barter for sanctions relief.
and tactical via sanctions, it was deeply emotional. Am-
We are glad that our efforts have
bassador Larisa Galadza, who was born in Canada and proven to be a strong complement to
whose eight grandparents emigrated from Ukraine, filed Ukraine’s own diplomatic efforts, and
this piece from Kyiv on December 16th. the right tactic for getting stronger lan-
guage on multilateral resolutions and
increased numbers of votes condemn-
Larisa Galadza and that’s precisely what we set out to ing Russia at the United Nations Gen-
leverage on this war’s diplomatic front. eral Assembly throughout the year. As
L
iving in Kyiv has meant experi- a result of outreach of this kind, Ukrai-
In multilateral arenas like the Unit-
encing many forces: the force of nians have seen greater support from
ed Nations and through bilateral dis-
evil; the force of determination countries that have tended to abstain
cussions, Canadian politicians and of-
that is way beyond survival instinct; or remain neutral when it comes to
ficials are making sure Ukraine is a top
the force of an explosion, felt through Russia-related resolutions.
agenda item. This is easy to do with our
the wall against my back and that I lat-
like-minded community, but we have Second is the force of Ukraine’s ambi-
er learn has snuffed out beautiful life;
looked beyond traditional partners and tion — one needs not be a close ob-
and the force of nature — cold and
allies, and invested creative capital into server of the war to realize that Ukrai-
darkness that is heavier and deeper be-
influencing countries that may not fully nians are stopping at nothing to quash
cause we are in a time of war.
share our Canadian values, but are not Russian aggression on all battlefronts,
But for me, there are two forces that entirely siding with Russia either. By do- and achieve victory. Ten months into
I feel particularly these days as I sit ing our homework, identifying mutual the war, the determination is more
at my desk, or across from Ukraine’s interests and calling out disinformation, solid than ever to fight Russia back to
leadership, doing the ambassador job. we have been successfully able to influ- the other side of the borders that were
First is the force of diplomacy — the ence how much support for Ukraine’s recognized internationally in 1991.
work of people far away from Ukraine cause — our collective cause for a rules- Canada supports this goal.
B
whose energy, determination, and cre- based order — is received from the in- eyond that, Ukraine sends grain
ativity are buoying the efforts that al- ternational community. to the world’s most vulnerable
low Ukrainians to fight on all fronts — Countering Russian disinformation has populations, aims to launch
military, economic, humanitarian, and become a regular undertaking for Ca- the first-ever prosecution of a coun-
informational. From Kyiv, I can see nadian diplomats. Canada has made it try for the crime of aggression, and
and feel the work of Canadian Heads of a part of its strategic approach to hold is determined to build not only its
Mission around the globe as they find Russia to account for its lies at bilater- own defence arrangements, but also
ways to move the world to choke off al meetings, at multi-stakeholder plat- to strengthen the international peace
President Putin’s and Russia’s war ma- forms, and anywhere else we have a and security architecture so that no
chine financially, politically, and mor- voice. We know that the sole purpose country has to fight like this again.
ally. From early on in the invasion, I of Russia’s disinformation is to create It also continues on the path of legal,
knew that if there was one country chaos, and to think that the truth is un- judicial, and governance reforms, pre-
that understood Ukraine and its peo- knowable. For example, when President pares to withstand brazen war crime
ple, and could advocate for it with par- Putin blamed Western sanctions for attacks on its critical infrastructure, ex-
ticular credibility, it would be Canada. food insecurity, we engaged with part- pects Russia to pay damages and repa-
Every foreign diplomat I meet in Kyiv ners around the world to fight Russian rations, and works to accelerate its ac-
recognizes the inherently special re- fiction with facts. Canadian diplomats cession process for membership in the
lationship we have with Ukrainians, targeted messaging to countries of Latin European Union and the North Atlantic
January—February 2023
8
not necessarily motivate countries to
move from supporting Russia to sup-
porting Ukraine. Rather, it is their in-
terests that govern their behaviour.
Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable inva-
sion of Ukraine has brought Canadi-
an interests into stark focus. While a
sizeable diaspora is an important force,
the fact of the matter is that security
in Europe, and the survival of the sys-
tem that serves middle-power inter-
ests, is actually at stake. Yes, we value
these things, but only when you con-
vey this in the language of interests do
you have a clear sense of what must be
done to end this war. This clarity un-
leashes creativity and initiative, and
the resulting force is palpable.
As for the force of Ukrainian ambition,
Ambassador Galadza participates in the Ukrainian Leadership Academy’s recent Forum on what is more powerful than the interest
Opportunities on Dec. 11, 2022. --Volodymyr Neizvestnyi photo
to survive? There is nothing more basic,
Treaty Organization (NATO). Ukraine — focused. President Zelensky knows and Ukrainians understand that surviv-
has set for itself, and its partners, a his- this and he is right: it works. al is only possible if they advance am-
tory-defining task of huge ambition. For bitiously, unapologetically on all fronts.
What Ukraine, and Russia’s invasion
us, their Western partners, each of these of Ukraine, have managed to do to the One final note: Ukrainians tell me reg-
ambitions comes with expectations as long-standing policies of their part- ularly that they feel Canadian and
to our own involvement. ners was unthinkable just 10 months Western support — not that they know
As we determine what that involvement ago. Finland and Sweden will soon be about it, but that they feel it. “We feel
can be, we must work to maintain the in NATO. Germany and Japan are pro- that we are not alone,” said the cou-
strong unity that proves our like-mind- viding lethal aid. Switzerland has fro- ple whose roof is now rebuilt because
edness and institutional resilience zen Russian assets. Canada has sanc- of Canadians and the United Nations
(more diplomatic work!). To be frank, tioned 1577 individuals and entities High Commissioner for Refugees (UN-
it is daunting for governments that are since February 2022. Would diplomats HCR). The marine fighting on the
post-COVID-19, hard-hit by inflation, in January 2022 have believed this frontlines testifies to the feeling of con-
and engaged in a multitude of domestic could happen? Further, what Ukraini- nectedness because he knows we want
challenges. And yet, inspired by Ukrai- ans have done for their reputation in the same thing as him. Even the pres-
nians’ sheer determination — their will- the world could not have been master- ence of the diplomatic community in
ingness to pay the ultimate price for minded by the priciest global PR firm Kyiv is held up by Ukrainian friends
what we so often take for granted — we — the prevalent (let’s face it) notion and colleagues as a sign that we are
too are brought into this ambition. that Ukraine was somehow a “Little confident in Ukraine’s victory.
T
he ways Ukrainians set these Russia” is gone forever. Russia did not
do this; Ukraine and Ukrainians did. Russia’s tragic and foolish invasion of
goals can seem counterintui- Ukraine has unleashed many forces.
tive to a western bureaucrat. In What’s behind these forces of unprec- The forces of diplomacy and national
our systems, we work up problemat- edented diplomacy and ambition? A ambition are elements of Ukraine’s fight
ics, analyze options, consult across powerful interplay of values and in-
for survival. We are all warriors in the
government with stakeholders and terests, but mostly interests. At a re-
effort — because that is in our interest.
like-mindeds, and work through lay- cent dinner, Ukrainian Foreign Min-
ers of approvals and signoffs; Ukraini- ister Dmytro Kuleba spoke about the Larisa Galadza was appointed Cana-
ans think fast, then act. They under- power that is unlocked with his coun- da’s ambassador to Ukraine in 2019. Pri-
stand what it is they must achieve and terparts in the Global South when he or to this, she served as Director General
announce boldly that they shall do so. identifies a problem they have in com- of the Peace and Stabilization Operations
President Zelensky’s 10-point peace mon. The leader of a UN body trav- Program at Global Affairs Canada. Since
plan, which he set out at the G20 in elling through Kyiv, discussing voting February 24, 2022, she has been deeply
Bali in November 2022, is a prime ex- trends on Ukraine-related resolutions involved in Canada’s response to Russia’s il-
ample. Vision motivates and keeps ev- in the General Assembly, told me legal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.
eryone — including us, their partners that human rights commitments do Ambassador Galadza is based in Kyiv.
Policy9
The Strengths and Weaknesses
of Canada’s Diplomacy Game
Like so many elements of power projection, diplomacy has Their eclectic personal contacts created
networks of global influencers (before
spent the past two decades adjusting to a context of unprec- the word became a hashtag) that truly
edented disruption, normalized propaganda and covert and covered the world, beyond vital NATO,
overt threats to the rules-based international order that de- OECD, and North American partner-
ships. These contacts enormously val-
pends on it. Policy international affairs writer and former idated the access and influence of our
Canadian ambassador to Russia, the European Union and diplomats overall. Canadians had glob-
the United Kingdom Jeremy Kinsman examines the state of al diplomatic reach abroad because we
engaged widely from the top and local-
Canada’s diplomacy game at the most critical juncture in ly on the ground.
international affairs since the Second World War. Canadian diplomacy was best ex-
emplified by Pearson’s brokerage of
the 1956 Suez crisis that inaugurated
Jeremy Kinsman The effects reverberated the next day
UN peacekeeping. Some foreign poli-
at the office. Before long, pushback at
T
here was a time when an ambas- home and in diplomatic workplaces cy imperatives became national ques-
sador could be described as “an tions d’etat, pursued in secret; manag-
at home and abroad ended the fun.
honest gentleman sent abroad to ing the long aftermath of Charles De
In our real world, Russia’s throw- Gaulle’s call for a “Québec libre!”, rec-
lie for the good of his country,” as Brit-
back invasion of Ukraine has jolt- ognizing Communist China, or free-
ish author, politician and diplomat Sir
ed humanity back to the pre-1914 ing British diplomat James Cross with
Henry Wotton said in 1604. Diplomats
world of would-be empires of coer- Fidel Castro’s help. However, more
were emissaries for states competing
cive force that caused the carnage of and more, domestic and political pres-
for supremacy, often agents of decep-
the “war to end all wars.” After the sures squeezed the bandwidth for for-
tion, sent to conduct secret talks in for-
postwar League of Nations failed to eign affairs in prime ministerial atten-
eign courts in a non-democratic world.
put an end to aggression, and Hitler’s tion. Now, leaders are tempted to hype
Today’s diplomats are open, alive to the next world war cost 126 million lives, moves on the international stage for
truth that it is the people who make his- the UN was created in 1945 to ensure media at home. Outward relationships
tory, more than potentates (are you lis- “never again” and make territorial in- become secondary to the domestic au-
tening, Vladimir Putin?). Canada needs vasion obsolete. dience that is the dominant consider-
its professionals with eyes and ears to ation, especially for a minority govern-
the ground around the world, and lead- ment. Canadian media, cash-strapped
ers who have influence.
Our version of ‘soft for representation abroad, have be-
power’ needs come overwhelmingly parochial.
A half-century ago, an adult board
game called Diplomacy was, briefly, a
diplomats to be able to A default communications position is
passion among younger foreign ser- operate semi-autonomously to enfold Canadian foreign policy into
vice officers in Ottawa. It drew from in the agitated global chorus support for our allies. During
the delineations — geographical and marketplace. the Cold War, Canada’s policies prior-
political — of 19th century Europe, itized our alliances but their wider glo-
when might made right. Gamers balist perspective and context were ad-
played the roles of the seven Europe- ditional diplomatic strengths. “Who is
an Great Powers just before the First Rules-based multilateral diplomacy my neighbour?” Pierre Trudeau asked
World War, instructing armies and became a Canadian specialty. Our in Parliament in 1981, answering that
navies to invade their neighbours, diplomats became designers, fixers, our “neighbours” were everywhere.
or ally with others for safety. Over and frequent chairs of innumerable The Economist urges us, in The World
several hours, to the despair of or- committees. The tone was set at the Ahead 2023, to face the “reality” that
phaned partners and spouses, players top by internationalist prime min- in our changing, troubled, and frac-
cut deals (best in a house with sever- isters, and activist foreign ministers tured world, “unpredictability is the
al rooms), and then betrayed them. like Joe Clark and Lloyd Axworthy. new normal.” But it’s not new. Histo-
January—February 202310
ry, like life, is full of surprises. Pierre
Trudeau’s foreign policy briefing for
ministers in November 1980, urged us
to “expect the unexpected.” Surpris-
es may seem somewhat crazier today,
but Pol Pot and his killing fields, Lock-
erbie and Chernobyl remind us that
events, to put it politely, have always
happened. However, we seem less
well-equipped now to lift our game to
meet the opportunity to operate with-
in the wider dispersal of influence
among middle powers. For example,
Canadian aid workers cannot address
the dangerous and growing human-
itarian crisis in Afghanistan because
2001 legislation labelled the Taliban a
terrorist group. Other Western coun-
tries amended similar national laws
enacted after 9/11 to permit humani-
tarian remittances in today’s changed
circumstances. But Canadian bureau-
cratic paralysis stymies adaptation.
C
anada needs agility to advance
diplomatic initiatives abroad.
We should valorize initia-
tives by professional diplomats on
the ground to interpret and connect
to countries that increasingly assert
unique identities. Our version of “soft “A half-century ago, an adult board game called Diplomacy was, briefly, a passion among younger
foreign service officers in Ottawa,” writes Jeremy Kinsman. --Avalon Hill Games
power” needs diplomats to be able to
operate semi-autonomously in the agi-
tated global marketplace. The excessive rectly to citizens. It made diplomatic for universities abroad offering Cana-
executive power at the government’s accreditation a virtual duality. The ba- dian studies (which the Trudeau gov-
core needs to resist its centralizing in- sic confidential relationship with the ernment has, oddly, still not restored).
stincts, illustrated by the Harper PMO host state was paralleled by a public one Above all, public diplomacy relies on
wanting all public speeches by ambas- with NGOs and civil society, though reputational credibility. We need to
sadors to be vetted. Ottawa’s bureau- re-emerging authoritarian governments stay current in our claim that we can
cratic “centre,” has long resented for- began painting NGOs as internal adver- lead, not just follow.
eign service separateness, colonizing saries more than a decade ago to neu-
Our military focus has shifted from
Global Affairs with appointments from tralize them as democracy and human
domestic government departments. rights-advocating threats to power. peacekeeping to supporting our al-
It partly explains why we now evacu- lies in the unfortunate wars of the
Our diplomats pitch Canada’s mer- 21st century, especially Afghanistan.
ate needed diplomatic personnel from its and interests. The Trade Commis-
posts that become risky, as in Kabul We still organize peacekeeping con-
sioner Service’s invaluable partner- ferences, but curtail actual commit-
and Kyiv. Foreign Service tradition kept ship with Canadian business pre-dated
diplomatic shoes on the ground even ments, as in Mali.
our entry into government-to-govern-
C
when bombs start dropping. ment diplomacy. Diplomats pursue redible leadership is earned most-
Today’s diplomacy is public as well as markets, technology, finance, and de- ly at the top. Chrystia Freeland
private. It relies even more on field pro- fence pacts. They vaunt Canada’s in- as foreign minister convened in
fessionals to navigate the super-charged ternationalist, pluralist brand, connect Vancouver an international ministeri-
digital communications culture of ram- our civil society and centres of excel- al conference in 2018 on North Korea,
pant social media, disinformation and lence and showcase Canadian perform- where we didn’t even have an embassy,
propaganda. The initial wave of “one- ers and artists, though the Harper gov- primarily to help politically endangered
world” democratization unleashed by ernment cut “all that cultural stuff,” as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 le- the late Jim Flaherty once put it to me. Trump dumped Tillerson a few weeks
gitimized embassies reaching out di- A dumb move, as was cutting support later, went his own way with “Rock-
Policy11
Justin Trudeau’s international image is an asset to he couldn’t dump the prime minister
Canadian diplomacy. Foreign leaders welcome of Israel just before a war against Sadd-
am Hussein that would rely on Israeli
meeting their pleasant and reasonable colleague, who is by self-restraint to succeed.
instinct and interest more substantive than Canadians know.
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney led
the seminal debate at the 1990 Hara-
re Commonwealth Summit that was
et-Man” Kim Jong-un (which led no- home pushing reports Chinese con- meant to enshrine respect for human
where), and the Vancouver conference sular officials had made cash advances rights as a criterion for membership.
was instantly forgotten by everyone. to some candidates in our 2019 elec- When the heated session broke up,
Justin Trudeau’s international image is tion, was stuck for an answer. Kenyan autocrat Daniel arap Moi con-
an asset to Canadian diplomacy. For- By alphabetical order, China sits next tested Mulroney’s argument in private.
eign leaders welcome meeting their to Canada at G20s, so a short intro- Mulroney told Moi exactly why we
pleasant and reasonable colleague, who ductory pull-aside when media were in could not turn our eyes away from hu-
is by instinct and interest more sub- the room was hastily negotiated. The man rights abuse and corruption and
stantive than Canadians know. It has PMO then briefed Canadian media regard them as inevitable, normal, and
not been revealed that when the seces- that Trudeau had pressed Xi Jinping none of the Commonwealth’s busi-
sionist crisis of Tigray recently threat- over China’s interference in Canada’s ness. The draft Harare Declaration
ened not just famine but outright war elections. Reports dutifully emerged went through the next day without ob-
in Ethiopia, Trudeau spent a very help- hailing the PM’s act of national self-de- jection. Did Mulroney authorize brief-
ful hour talking over the options with fence. The next day, Xi initiated his ing Canadian media on this likely deci-
the Ethiopian PM, encouraging him in own pull-aside to express dismay that sive conversation? Absolutely not.
private to align with non-forceful ap- “Everything we discussed has been When Prime Minister Jean Chretien
proaches. But sometimes, the PMO’s leaked to the paper; that’s not appro- raised in China with president Jiang
compulsion to go public, prompted by priate,” adding that they should focus Zemin the case of a young man jailed
the need to defend against “gotcha” first on establishing their relationship. since Tiananmen in 1989 — he wasn’t
critics, gets diplomacy wrong. Should this report have been the cen- Canadian, but his sister was — he was
The PMO naturally welcomes the ac- trepiece of Trudeau’s rare meeting with on a plane the next day, a transaction
companiment of byline media on big the leader of the world’s second-larg- made in silence.
diplomatic trips (they need to pay est economy, with whom our rela- As a contrary example, Prime Min-
their way). But the travelling pool tions are in the tank? Is that “diplo- ister Harper briefed Canadian media
then has to be fed news. It comes less macy” or grandstanding for the home before a G20 meeting a decade or so
easily given that Trudeau is not a ma- audience? Shouldn’t we first deploy ago that he would meet with Chi-
jor player, though on today’s overrid- evidence, expel the offending diplo- na’s president to give him hell about
ing issue of ensuring the survival of mats, and charge alleged candidates? the imprisonment of Canadian-Chi-
Ukraine’s democracy and the defence Yet, a few days later, under question- nese Uyghur mullah Huseyin Celil.
of the all-important post-Second ing in Parliament, the Prime Minister An ex-Canadian ambassador to Chi-
World War norm against aggression, said “there has never been any infor- na accurately predicted to me imme-
Canada has been front and centre. mation given to me on the funding of diately that a) Harper wouldn’t get
Putin didn’t go to Bali for the G20 Sum- federal candidates by China.” the meeting and b) the hapless Cel-
mit for obvious reasons, but sent his This example of “open and public di- il would have his sentence doubled.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Can- plomacy” in which a leader plays to the So, diplomacy has changed in a lot of
ada’s activism-inclined foreign minis- electoral audience at home, or to demo- ways for diplomats and leaders. But one
ter, Mélanie Joly, briefed the Canadian graphic electoral sub-sets, side-swipes thing is constant: Relationships of trust
press contingent that she would “not professionalism and undermines cred- are a prerequisite to getting import-
meet with Lavrov” That Lavrov hadn’t ibility on which relationships depend. ant things done. They require perpetu-
D
asked to meet was beside the com- iplomacy is not about lectur- al investment and meticulous curation,
munications point. Trudeau was then ing. Israeli PM Yitzhak Sham- both from the top in Ottawa and on the
asked if he would meet with Lavrov. He ir, in a meeting on the eve of ground from our foreign service profes-
said reasonably that he had no reason the 1991 Gulf War in his tiny Knesset sionals around the world.
nor intention to do so. office, told Foreign Minister Joe Clark Contributing Writer Jeremy Kinsman
The press then asked if he’d meet with that Palestinians were “animals.” Clark served as Canada’s Ambassador to Rus-
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who could have challenged him, or left. But sia, the European Union, Italy and as
was meeting Australian and Japanese his substantive view was clear from the High Commissioner to the United King-
prime ministers. The PM, on the de- fact he’d spent the previous day in Ra- dom. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the
fensive from opposition critics at mallah. He’d never be Shamir’s pal, but Canadian International Council.
January—February 202312
Canada’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization, Nadia Theodore (third from left) at a WTO meeting on trade and environmental sustainabili-
ty in Geneva. --WTO Photo
Trade Diplomacy in a Time of
Flux: Q&A With Nadia Theodore
Nadia Theodore was appointed in August 2022 as Canada’s the siloed way that we used to ap-
proach much of global governance is-
ambassador to the World Trade Organization in Geneva. sues, including global economic gov-
She is the first woman to serve in this position. Prior to this, ernance, is no longer serving us and
she served as consul general in Atlanta before spending two won’t get us the results we are look-
ing to for the future. From the trade
years as a senior vice president at Maple Leaf Foods. world, there is finally a mainstream-
ing of the various intersections of in-
Policy Associate Editor Lisa Van Dusen Ambassador Nadia Theodore: It’s ternational trade and the most signif-
conducted this Q&A with Ambassador funny because the examples you icant global challenges we face. From
Theodore by email. have provided, to me don’t speak to where I sit, the work on the role of
a diminishing relevance of trade but trade in building not just better econ-
Lisa Van Dusen: Between post-lock-
quite the opposite. They represent omies, but better societies and a bet-
down supply chain kinks, the weap-
examples of how critical trade still ter planet, is intensifying – and that is
onization of trade under a certain for-
is and is recognized as such. The fact a good thing.
mer American president and the World
that disruptions to, and diminution
Trade Organization’s evolution over LVD: In broader diplomatic terms,
of, the ability of goods and services
the past two decades as a proxy bat- to flow across borders garners strong there’s an impression emerging after
tleground for geopolitical competi- negative reaction is evidence of the years of Brexit-driven, Trump-driven,
tion, trade has had some reputational fact that people understand global China-driven disruption that, with
issues lately. Having spent more than trade to be crucial — whether to the NATO unity in the face of Russian ag-
a decade immersed in trade policy, in- success of their business, big or small, gression in Ukraine, with the US mid-
cluding on the negotiating teams for or to the prosperity of their econo- term results and with at least a great-
the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the mies and communities. But what I er understanding of what the threats
Comprehensive Economic and Trade will say is that international institu- to democracy and global stability are,
Agreement between Canada and the tions and multilateralism in gener- some sanity is returning to interna-
European Union, and now as WTO al are having some reputational is- tional relations. Trade diplomacy be-
ambassador, what’s your take on the sues lately as folks realize that some ing the vanguard of multilateralism,
state of trade from the front lines? of the old ways of doing things and do you see that as too optimistic?
Policy13
ANT: One can never be too optimistic! ing and a powerful moment for Ca- that others might not see. When I look
Seriously though, I don’t think that any nadian representation. What did you back at my time in Atlanta, the things
one type of diplomacy has a monopo- learn while you were there? that I am most proud of and the areas
ly on new ideas and a modern way of ANT: I have thought a lot about my where I believe I had the most impact,
doing things. All disciplines have inno- time in Atlanta. My biggest lessons materialized when I and the Depart-
vations that we can draw from and bet- from my time there and what has ment embraced what I brought to the
ter yet, taking an integrated approach to stayed with me the most is what I table that was different and when we
public diplomacy and its various facets learned about successful policy making used that difference to open ourselves
for me is the key to success. WTO Di- and successful diplomacy in today’s up to different possibilities and different
rector General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala world. We live in a world where things solutions to problems. The more we can
understands this better than many. She are no longer linear. With any given is- replicate that openness and innovation
has truly elevated the idea of looking at sue or situation, there are a whole host in diplomacy and feed it into our poli-
the role that trade can play to help solve of relevant factors, inputs and perhaps cy-making, the greater advantage Can-
global challenges and how internation- most importantly, a whole range of po- ada will enjoy on the global stage. The
al organizations and institutions can ac- tential outcomes and usually, no one good news is that I believe that Canada
complish more if we work together. Her potential outcome is any more likely gets it and is set up for success.
leadership at the WTO makes it easy to than another. It is messy and winding LVD: You’ve been back in Geneva now
remain optimistic. and the ability to predict and count on for just over three months. Have you got
LVD: Where does Canada fit in this any one particular outcome based on a sense yet of what you want the next
moment of flux? historical context or dominant narra- four years of your mandate to look like?
tives is difficult if not impossible. The
ANT: Well, listen, I am a Canadian dip- well-used phrase “the trend is your ANT: One of my favourite quotes is
lomat and a senior executive in the Ca- friend” no longer holds true. from Toni Morrison: as you enter posi-
nadian federal public service, so my an- tions of trust and power, dream a little
swer is likely somewhat predictable! before you think. I actually have those
Canada is in an opportune position. We
From the trade words on a sticky note on my computer
are in a sweet spot of expertise meeting world, there is finally screen. I am trying very hard to take the
opportunity and we are leveraging our a mainstreaming of the first six months to listen, learn and ex-
expertise at a time when leadership is various intersections of ecute on the fantastic foundations that
needed. This is true in a myriad of orga- have been set by the mission team and
nizations and contexts, but at the WTO
international trade and the by my predecessors, in particular the
specifically, we are co-convenors to the most significant global immediate past ambassador, Stephen
Trade and Environmental Sustainability challenges we face. de Boer, who was an incredible leader
Structured Discussions; we are the con- in Geneva. Even though it is really hard
venors of the Ottawa Group, which fo- for me not to jump in with my own
The countries, businesses, institutions
cuses on WTO reform issues; we played unique priorities, I think that taking
that will thrive in this heightened real-
an instrumental role in seeing the suc- the time to dream a little at the front
ity will be those that truly understand
cessful conclusion of the Agreement on end serves leaders in spades if you can
and pay attention to having people in
Fisheries Subsidies. And I could go on. discipline yourself to do so. Having said
policy making, relationship-building
On almost any global issue, when that, I have started fleshing out what I
and decision making functions that
bridges need to be built or when the want success to look like for me and my
have different ways of looking at the
conversations move into the solution thinking is converging around: digging
world, different ways of showing up in
sorting phase, Canada is called upon. into Canada’s role around inclusion, re-
the world, different contexts in which
We are known for our pragmatic, in- forming globalization or re-globaliza-
the world looks at them and different
clusive approach and that is no differ- tion as some are calling it, environment
ways of approaching problems.
ent in the WTO context. Canada be- and digital. More to come!
That’s what I mean when I talk about
lieves that high, resilient and inclusive Nadia Theodore is Canada’s Head of
having more people who look more like
growth requires global systems and Canada’s Mission to the United Nations,
me and my ancestors than perhaps like
global cooperation and we are ready the World Trade Organization and other
you or your ancestors, around the deci-
to roll up our sleeves and do the work International Organizations in Geneva.
sion making table, with real authority
required for success, both at home and Policy Magazine Associate Editor Lisa
and decision-making power. It’s not just
on the global stage. Van Dusen was a senior writer at Ma-
about what I look like – it’s about how
LVD: Your tenure as Canadian consul what I look like and who I am shapes the clean’s, Washington columnist for the
general in Atlanta seemed like both a way I look at the world, how I look at Ottawa Citizen and Sun Media, interna-
long-overdue triumph of logic over solving problems, what doors to rooms tional writer for Peter Jennings at ABC
the factors that had delayed a Black I may more easily be able to open and News and an editor at AP National in
woman’s appointment to the post- what I see when I get into those rooms New York and UPI in Washington.
January—February 202314
Former NATO Ambassador Kerry Buck (far right) at the inauguration of the new Canadian Permanent Mission to NATO during the 2018 NATO Summit
in Brussels with (L to R) LGen Marquis Hainse, Military Representative of Canada to NATO (now retired), then-minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan,
then-minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chief of Defence Staff Jon Vance (now retired). --Adam Scotti photo
Changing the Face of
Security: Being a Woman
Ambassador to NATO
Canada’s diplomatic corps includes high-profile women Kerry Buck
in senior roles, from Ambassador to the United States
I
n 2015, I was appointed Canada’s
Kirsten Hillman to WTO Ambassador Nadia Theodore Ambassador to NATO: the first wom-
to Ambassador to Ukraine Larisa Galadza. Ambassador an in that position in the 66 years
since Canada joined the alliance. I was
Kerry Buck served as Canada’s permanent representative not the first woman permanent repre-
to NATO from 2015 to 2018. As the first woman to serve sentative to NATO; this honour had
in that role, she generously shares her experience as a gone to my Lithuanian colleague in
woman both in the foreign service and in the male-domi- 2004, when Lithuania had joined the
Alliance, appointed Ambassador Ginte
nated halls of NATO headquarters. Damusis and broken the glass ceiling.
My American friends Toria Nuland and
Rose Gottemoller became, respectively,
the first American woman Ambassador
to NATO (2005) and first woman Dep-
uty Secretary General of NATO (2016).
In 2015, when I arrived at NATO, there
were only three other women ambassa-
dors out of a table of twenty eight allies.
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