bout de papier, Vol. 28, No. 2 (2014) — Summer 2014 // Été 2014, p. 22
“The doctor told me”, Kathryn said, “that 60 per cent of the women who get my kind of cancer come through fine; the other 40 per cent succumb — the dice rolled me into the latter crowd.” In early June we lost her. She was only 68 years old — 25 years younger than her aunt Hazel, the longest serving Mayor in Mississauga’s history.
Speaking Truth to Power was the trope offered most frequently to describe Kathryn. This matter-of-fact attitude guided her last two years, as it had during a lifetime of achievement. To me, she remains the classmate that burst into my world when we met in 1972 as Assistant Trade Commissioners-in-Training. We were to become lifelong friends, but back then little did any of our class suspect that she would become — one way or another — our boss. She also served as PAFSO President 1980-81.
The Department’s announcement states that “she was an icon for the international trade stream and a pioneer role model for many women in the Department as the first female Chief Trade Commissioner”. Her friends and colleagues go further, capturing something of her spirit, a whiff of the air she breathed…
Heritage Deputy Minister, Colleen Swords: “Kathryn was a woman of principle — she spoke truth to power — and she spoke truth to her friends”.
Commissioner of the Public Service (and former foreign policy advisor to the Prime Minister) Susan Cartwright: “She spoke truth not just to power, but to everyone within earshot”.
From my own eulogy: “In a Westminster system bureaucrats are expected to make policy recommendations, they need to be sensitive to elected officials’ agendas. Kath was sensitive alright or she would never have climbed to the heights she did, but her ‘truth to power’ approach made that climb an exciting ride”.
Retired Head of Mission Anne Charles: “Kathryn lived live at full throttle, with gusto, humour and integrity, taking no hostages, guided by her profound and enduring belief in the importance of good government and good governance. Whatever task she undertook, at work or play, she brought the full force of her formidable intellect, concentration, courage, dedication and laughter”.
Deputy Minister Peter Boehm: “we lost one of our great ones last week…an original: she combined a passion for public service with an acute sense of how to get things done simply and smartly. She did this through clear, direct and often very colourful communication. Loyal to her people and fearless in offering policy advice, she understood both timing and nuance and this served her well throughout her distinguished career where she attained the levels of Assistant Deputy Minister, Head of Mission and Chief Trade Commissioner.”
Kathryn had four outstanding qualities we could all aspire to:
Clarity of Purpose. Former US Ambassador to the WTO and Deputy US Trade Representative, Peter Allgeier, told our colleague Bernie Etzinger:
“I was fortunate to work together with Kathryn for many years on the Free Trade Area of the Americas. She had many wonderful characteristics, one of which was as a problem solver, no matter the problem. For some reason, during Canada’s chairmanship of the negotiating process among the 30 plus countries of the Western hemisphere, we agreed to have one of our meetings in Surinam — not exactly on major airline routes. Everyone complained they couldn’t get there. So Kathryn chartered a Boeing 737 from Miami and back. She went up and down the aisle of the plane, collecting a huge wad of bills in her hand. There was no way that she was going to let Canada get stuck with the bill. Typically creative, pragmatic and no-nonsense Kathryn. I’ll always remember her fondly and with the greatest admiration”.
Spirit. Former Ambassador and DFATD Chief Legal Counsel, Michael Leir: “Kathryn was indefatigable. She loved kayaking. Last year, before concluding her first course of treatment or any signs of a spring thaw, she prepared for the break-up on Ontario’s waterways. “Time for a new kayak’, the old one was just too tired and scuffed up. ‘Name your time’, I replied. In May we headed to a lakeshore specialist near Kingston to inspect new offerings. Not for Kathryn a local store where testing was precluded! After much discussion and close examination of brands and crafts, Kathryn identified a sleek and lightweight red. A new colour for a new chapter in her kayaking career, she said. Carefully lowering herself in, she paddled around the local bay testing the craft’s maneuverability, comfort and feel. From the middle of the inlet she lifted her paddle in both hands over her head — she had found the right one… It did not see much service, but that paddle against the backdrop of a Canadian lake in spring captured for me her determination, optimism and love of life.”
Being Human. From Susan Cartwright: “Despite her bluff, gruff exterior, she was deeply compassionate and more sensitive than many suspected. In the early years I was a little frightened of Kathryn and in awe of her confident exterior. She asked me one day to remain behind after a meeting. I was grateful that she wasn’t going to ream me out in front of everyone but wracked my brains —what had I had done wrong? Now, you have to know that Kathryn and I were both cursed with fine, limp hair and not very much of it at that. I was speechless: she wanted to ask me how I managed to get mine to stand up and be counted — at least for part of the day!”
Self Deprecation. From Colleen Swords: “Kathryn often told us of taking Jason, the family border collie, to the groomer when she was home from university. After picking him up, he sat proudly, preening in the back seat as Kathryn drove him home. She said that she got a real job soon thereafter as ‘becoming her dog’s chauffeur was a new low!’
Kathryn McCallion was blunt, generous, witty, steel-trap smart, and a proud Canadian with an innate sense of duty who relished public service. Like all those who knew her and who held her in deep affection, I salute Kathryn — she is sorely, sorely missed.
Richard Kohler joined the Trade Commissioner Service in 1972 the same year as Kathryn McCallion. In his 35 years with foreign affairs Rick served on four different continents including as CG in Sydney and Ambassador to Brazil. In Canada he was a personnel director and chief of both information and protocol.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 28, No. 2 (2014) — Summer 2014 // Été 2014, p. 22. Read the rest of this issue →
