Losing it in Chinatown
I sat on the veranda of a small temple in a quiet Chinatown garden surrounded by low buildings. Bright flowers edged winding paths and a stream trickled among weathered stones. Three black and white birds swooped among the temple eaves, the mid-afternoon…
A Canadian In Japan
Ranald Macdonald, attempted single handed to break through Japan’s closed society. Although he apparently failed, his efforts indirectly contributed to the opening of Japan to the West.
Kathy’s Gift of Literacy
One of the developing world’s most successful literacy projects is unfolding in Ghana, West Africa, thanks to the energy and commitment of Kathy Knowles, a 48-year-old Canadian woman. With a tiny budget and an expansive vision, Kathy has, almost single-handedly, transformed the…
Behind Enemy Lines
Venturing into national territory not fully under the control of the government to which one is accredited as a diplomat is usually a matter to be undertaken with careful forethought, not to say hesitancy, but it can considerably enhance your value on…
Letters // Lettres
Dear Editor
Angus Matheson — 1919–2003
Angus Matheson came to External Affairs, as many of us did, in the last half of the 1940s, then still young, yet a veteran of World War I. Some of us joined External Affairs as Foreign Service Officers hoping to be involved…
Lessons in War, Politics and Diplomacy?
In early 1967, there was a series of incidents along the border between Israel and Syria, which had escalated to a tank battle and clashes between their air forces, ultimately leading to the shooting-down of six Syrian MIGs in early April. With…
Havana Vignettes
Havana is a city of antiques. The cars are ancient, the buildings often ruinous and even el Presidente’s famous beard is now grizzled. I like antiques. They remind me of the past and the individual human stories that I can weave around…
Waiting for the Lady
Far away from the centres of global power and international media, wedged in between India, Bangladesh, China and Thailand, lies the fascinating, culturally rich country of Burma (Myanmar to its longtime military rulers) where an epic drama has played out for decades…
2004 PAFSO Awards — In Pursuit of Excellence
Le 10 juin 2004, 285 collègues et invités se sont réunis pour souligner l’excellence dans le service extérieur canadien, lors du dîner de remise des prix de l’APASE à la salle Panorama du Centre national des Arts d’Ottawa. La cornemuse de lan…
