bout de papier, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1999) — Summer 1999 // Été 1999, pp. 10–12
The 10th anniversary of the PAFSO Awards program was a evening to remember. On June 10, over 250 guests filled the Panorama Room at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Kevin McLeod’s bag pipes signaled the start of another outstanding dinner at the NAC. PAFSO’s President, Peter Price, welcomed all and introduced the Chair of the Awards Committee and master-of-ceremonies, Alan Kessel.
The winning tickets for the draw prizes from Canadian Airlines, Corel and The Albert at Bay Suite Hotel were selected by the Hon. Flora Macdonald. Roland Dorsey, from Canadian Airlines, presented two economy class airline tickets from Ottawa to any destination serviced by Canadian Airlines to the winner. Books prizes provided by Canadian authors and publishers were also drawn at each table. All those who attended the dinner benefitted from table gifts from the following sponsors: Inniskillin Wines, MBNA Canada, Teleglobe and Tradex Mutual Funds.
The first Award of the evening was presented to Kathryn Aleong (Canadian Embassy, Washington, DC.) who received an award for an exceptional record in promoting Canadian environmental services and technologies in the US market leading to enhanced levels of trade, investment and business partnerships; her creation, development and implementation of an “Environmental Market Newsletter” that attracted 1000 subscribers; and, her pivotal role in the staging of the highly successful, first-ever Canada-United States Businesswomen’s Trade Summit.
Ken Taylor, former Canadian Ambassador and Chairman of Global Public Affairs presented Kathryn with her award.
Éloi Arsenault, ambassade du Canada, Paris (France), a reçu un prix pour souligner une carrière de plus de 25 ans au cours de laquelle il a révélé qu’il possédait toutes les qualités qui font l’agent du service extérieur idéal dans le domaine de l’immigration, faisant preuve de grandes qualités de leadership, d’un discernement infaillible au sujet des gens et des questions et d’une intégrité à toute épreuve, tout en ne perdant jamais de vue les intérêts du Canada.
Mel Cappe, greffier du Bureau du Conseil privé, a présenté son prix à Éloi.
Don Myatt and James L. Bissett, (Business Immigration Programme, Ottawa), received a joint award for their remarkable achievement in building an integrated and effective Division with limited resources during a rigorous downsizing period, working with a group of persons of widely differing backgrounds and skills, and thereafter going on to design and launch a new immigrant investor programme that has found acceptance from federal, provincial and private sector interests alike.
Meriel Bradford (Vice President, Government & External Relations, Teleglobe) presented Don and James with their Awards.
Shelley Whiting, (Canadian Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand) received an award for her outstanding performance in securing support for the anti-personnel landmines convention in Thailand and Laos, and for demonstrating her dedication to Canada and Canadians by spearheading the efforts to locate and recover the remains of six Canadian airmen who died in a plane crash in northern Burma in the final days of World War II.
Huguette Labelle, President of the Canadian International Development Agency presented Shelley with her Award.
The panel of five judges which selected the five winners was composed of people who themselves had achieved distinction in their various fields. The panel included former HOMs Joe Bissett, Leonard Legault, and David Winfield, CBC Radio broadcaster Mary Lou Finlay, and Secretary to the Treasury Board, Peter Harder.
Each year the Retired Heads of Mission Association (RHOMA) gives a prize for the best article in bout de papier by an FS officer or spouse. Each winner receives a framed copy of his/her article along with a cash prize. The purpose is to encourage the maintenance of a high standard of writing in the Foreign Service and to provide an additional incentive to contribute to bout de papier.
This year the winner was Renata Wielgosz, currently at the OAS in Washington, DC. Renata’s article “Diary of a Tropical Storm” appeared in the winter edition of bout de papier, Vol. 15 no. 4.
The article describes the devastation in Honduras in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. Accepting on her behalf was David Duinker whose photographs were published with the article. In his remarks conveying Renata’s thanks, David said that Renata would donate the prize money to help the people of Honduras. The Selection Committee was comprised of: Joe Bissett, Paul Lapointe and Michael Shenstone.
We would like to acknowledge and thank our Ambassador and Diplomat Sponsors who have played an important part in the continuing success of PAFSO’s Awards program.
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Originally published in / Publié à l’origine dans bout de papier, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1999) — Summer 1999 // Été 1999, pp. 10–12. Read the rest of this issue / Lire le reste de ce numéro →
