bout de papier, Vol. 27, No. 2 (2013) — Spring 2013 // Printemps 2013, p. 35
Peter was born in the UK and educated at St. John’s College, Oxford. He moved to Canada in 1972 and taught elementary school in British Columbia where he met his first wife Ann. Moving to the Maritimes, he worked for about five years in several branches of the Bank of Montreal before he joined the then-Department of External Affairs in 1982 and began the usual peripatetic life of a Foreign Service Officer. He served abroad in our missions in Brasilia, Prague, Amman and Washington DC. While in Ottawa, like so many of us, he had assignments in a variety of Divisions dealing with matters as diverse as the international economy, Eastern European affairs, relations with North Asia, and the conflicts of the Middle East. But for a small group of us, Peter is best remembered for the work he did while in the Security Division and finally during his five years with ISI, the Foreign Intelligence Division.
Peter’s career was greater than just a dull recounting of his postings and assignments. While in Prague he took on tasks for which he is still remembered, even though the Canadian Government has not marked the importance of his actions (and those of his colleagues). He was the conduit between the Government of Canada and the Charter 77 dissidents, becoming a friend of Vaclav Havel and having one of his children christened by Father Maly, another dissident of note. He smuggled illegal literature into and out of Prague at considerable risk to himself and his family. His tireless and fearless efforts on behalf of the dissidents were remembered and after the revolution he was brought back to the Czech Republic to be honoured by the new regime. Perhaps the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said it best in a letter to Peter’s family:
Beyond the usual subjects of conversation among foreign service officers — the flow of international affairs and Canada’s place therein, Peter had an abiding and intellectual interest in matters of security and intelligence. I recall, from our time together in Washington, occasions when we would sit over a coffee or a drink, often in my concrete box of an office, and discuss the problems of the world and merits or impact of the intelligence role upon these issues. His input on these occasions was always incisive and reflective of a mind in pursuit of a deeper understanding of events and personalities. Peter was a believer in the value of intelligence to the political decision-maker and was an avid discussant of the methodology and ethics of both intelligence and the diplomatic world.
He was actively involved in sensitive matters, especially during the final years of his career, to which he made great contributions, but for which he did not seek nor did he expect to receive the recognition that was his due. Peter was the exemplar of discretion, but friends and colleagues in Ottawa and abroad in allied capitals know what he did and respect him for it.
But there was more to Peter than the sum of his professional life. True, Peter was a consummate professional; he was steadfast, reliable and greatly balanced in his judgement and perspective, all coupled with a great sense of humanity. He was committed to the promotion of human rights, tolerance and human dignity. This carried on into his private life.
Peter probably considered himself blessed to have had two families. A second and late marriage to Susan gave stability to his being. And, while he struggled with his inner frailties and matters of his own personal salvation —the love for his family, his children and his grandchildren cannot be doubted. He was not “sporty”, he would never coach a hockey team, but he was always there to talk, to consult, to advise and to listen. Peter is remembered with great love and affection by all his family, friends and acquaintances.
Jim Gould is a retired Foreign Service officer.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 27, No. 2 (2013) — Spring 2013 // Printemps 2013, p. 35. Read the rest of this issue →
