bout de papier, Vol. 5, No. 3 (1987) — Fall 1987 // Automne 1987, p. 41
Being snippets from the press…
On Pompous Asses
From the MP from Halifax West, Mr. Howard Crosby:
“Our federal people in other countries have colossal gall to pass themselves off as experts in the areas they serve,” Mr. Crosby complained after it was revealed 176 East Indian refugees had come ashore in Shelburne County. “They (members of the foreign service) are for the large part pompous asses, hired on an old-boy system, “Mr. Crosby said in a telephone interview. “They are anything but knowledgeable in the areas they serve.” Mr. Crosby thought it was time to “shake up and investigate the foreign service to discover how its members once again managed to miss the organization and arrangements surrounding the movement of refugees into Nova Scotia. “They do not seem to be able to pick up these schemes. How can it be that they don’t know about these things?” The MP suggested that… foreign service members seemed more interested in cocktail parties. “I think it is time to take a real look at them.”
From Crosby: Foreign service no help.
Halifax Chronicle Herald
With another view, the former MP for Halifax and one-time Minister for International Trade, Gerald Regan:
I can only recall having written a letter to the editor once before. I am somewhat reticent to do so now because, as a former politician, I believe that once you have been defeated you should allow your successors to govern without criticism that could be interpreted as sour grapes.
However, the ill-informed and intemperate attack on Canada’s foreign service by Conservative member of Parliament Howard Crosby… compels me to comment.
As minister of trade from 1982-1984, I had the privilege of working with the foreign service of our country. My experience was that the officers and Trade Commissioners were among the most able and dedicated people with whom I have ever associated.
Far from being selected on an old boys club basis, position is attained by competitive foreign service exams which thousands of our country’s top university graduates write each year. The fact that there are only a handful of vacancies means that successful candidates are exceptionally qualified.
Throughout their careers they are required to take postings in distant corners of the world, adjusting to a wide variety of cultures and languages while serving the vital interests of Canada.
The education of their children is often disjointed as a consequence of frequent moves.
The spouses are expected to participate in their representational work even though they are not paid. In fact, the image of Canada has been considerably enhanced by the generous, sensitive and unremunerated work of most spouses on worthwhile causes while stationed in “have not” countries.
Our foreign service has produced many people who have subsequently achieved high office. In this category one thinks of former prime minister Lester B. Pearson, former governor general Jules Léger, Norman Robertson, George Ignatieff and Jake Warren.
Great Nova Scotians who have distinguished themselves in the Foreign Service include Charles Ritchie who was Ambassador to Washington as well as High Commissioner in London; Margaret Meagher, one of the first women to be an ambassador, and Arthur Andrew. New Brunswick contributed Ed Ritchie.
The ability of another Maritimer, Don MacPhail, who until recently served as our Ambassador to West Germany has been recognized by the Mulroney government with his appointment to the top position in the new Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. One had only to watch Ambassador MacPhail literally work around the clock during the last GATT ministerial negotiations to realize how well Canada is served by people like him.
I believe a case can be made that our foreign service is the finest of any country in the world and that we get good value for our money. It is unfortunate that Mr. Crosby, as a backbencher, has not had the opportunity to observe the true value of their work.
I am sure that Nova Scotia’s representatives in the federal cabinet and Prime Minister Mulroney would want to disassociate themselves from Mr. Crosby’s views.
As a former provincial civil servant Howard Crosby should realize that it is unfair to attack those who are not in a position to reply.
In relation to the specific criticism that our External Affairs personnel in Germany did not warn of the pending arrival of a shipload of refugees, Mr. Crosby should realize that with the small number of officials Canada has in Germany it is not possible to police every clandestine shipping movement in a country of greater population than Canada, nor is that their job.
From “Unfair Criticism”, Halifax Chronicle Herald
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 5, No. 3 (1987) — Fall 1987 // Automne 1987, p. 41. Read the rest of this issue →
