bout de papier, Vol. 5, No. 2 (1987) — Summer 1987 // Été 1987, p. 34
Last summer, on leave at his cottage at Norway Bay, and contemplating his last year as Consul General for Canada at Cleveland, Syd made a comment which could stand as his epitaph: “There is so much to do for Canada in the American midwest! I wish I had more time.” A life of commitment — a life of service. Syd’s sudden death at Heathrow Airport in March took from us a man who carried the finest qualities one could look for in our Trade Commissioner Service and in our Foreign Service generally: capable, thoughtful, constantly supplying to the needs of others, and consistently involved with new ideas and new challenges. How typical of Syd that as a student he followed his interests through to what for him was the logical conclusion, the Ph.D. degree. His interest was in metallurgical engineering, a reflection of his involvement with that which makes Canada the country it is. His commitment was such as to win a number of academic awards, including the Athlone Fellowship for two years study in the U.K. and the N.R.C. Research Scholarship at Birmingham University in England. He earned his Bachelor and his Master degrees at the University of Toronto and his Ph.D. at Birmingham.
While studying in England Syd met Rosemary and later, on his first posting, which was to London, they married. She was his inspiration and a wonderful colleague for all who had the good fortune to live and work with the Harris’ in Ottawa, London, Washington, Bombay, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Rome and Cleveland. As a practising physician Rosemary has been much involved in her own profession, but provides a great example of how a spouse can complement a Foreign Service Officer’s career. Professionally, one can see the continuing thread of increasing confidence in Syd’s ability to use, first, his professional training and analytic skills, then, his experienced judgement and always, his creative approach, his ability to express his ideas cogently and winningly, and his enthusiastic response to challenge. What a joy to have been his rating officer!
The Harris’ were posted home to Ottawa, from 1972 to 1978, where Syd was given a series of special assignments in the fulfillment of which he brought honour to himself and to the Trade Commissioner Service. He was, in sequence: Assistant Secretary to the Interdepartmental Committee on External Relations; Special Adviser on Mineral Policy at EMR; served on the IT&C Special Task Force on Japan and on the Royal Commission on Government/Industry Interface (also known as the McLaren Report); and was Founding Secretary of the Canada/Japan Businessman’s Committee.
Rosemary and Syd have raised a wonderful family. Nicola is pursuing studies in pediatric medicine in England; Stephen is doing research work with a brokerage firm in Toronto; Susan is about to graduate in law in England; and Frances is studying biochemistry at the University of Toronto. A further measure of Syd’s quality is the time he spent serving on the boards of the schools his children attended in Tokyo and Rome.
In Sydney Harris, Canada, the Department of External Affairs, the Foreign Service, his friends and family have benefited from the love and commitment of a grand man. This hallmark of Syd’s life was a concern for others. It is to be hoped that all his colleagues in the Foreign Service will remember this man with something of the affection and respect which we who knew him hold, and will gain the same satisfaction which comes from this life of service.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 5, No. 2 (1987) — Summer 1987 // Été 1987, p. 34. Read the rest of this issue →
