bout de papier, September 1983 // Septembre 1983, p. 8
If you would like to contribute your views to the bout de papier, write to PAFSO at the following address: 130 Albert Street, suite 1002, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4.
Si vous désirez faire connaître vos opinions à l’équipe de rédaction du bout de papier, écrivez à l’APASE à l’adresse suivante: 130 rue Albert, pièce 1002, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4.
“All About Foreign Service Life”
Many officers and their families with Immigration Affairs will remember Bernard Brodie, who was with Immigration Foreign Service on the personnel staff from 1972 on and off until consolidation. What they may not know is that Bernard has recently completed a book about the old “Foreign Service”.
Bernard announced in a circular letter to his former colleagues in January of 1982 his intention to compile anecdotes of foreign service life abroad, a project which he had first cleared with Joe Bissett, then Assistant Under Secretary, Immigration Affairs. In the next twelve months, Bernard interviewed some thirty-eight foreign service families around Ottawa, in Southern Ontario, and overseas in London and Birmingham.
The result was a 660 page book approved by ZSS, provisionally entitled ’When Do I Get My Visa?’, containing stories of the professional and domestic life of immigration officers overseas from just after the War until consolidation. Illustrated, with ten pen and ink sketches by local artist Judy Dougherty, the book is a true pot-pourri of overseas experiences. Some of it is extermely funny and will ring bells with you all, such as the chapter ’Servants of the World, Unite!’ Other chapters, such as those on the South East Asian refugee movement and the Lebanese Civil War, are essentially serious and at times tragic.
Bernard has submitted the book to both Doubleday and MacMillan. “Naturally I want the book to be published, and not for my own glory. I have here a very human story of Canadians and their families doing a tough job in often difficult and dangerous — yet exotic — surroundings, and it’s something I would like other Canadians to know. The popular misconception of foreign service life is so hopelessly off base, and so very unfair to those who serve in the foreign service, that I hope to redress the balance”. A second book is now well underway and if finances permit, Bernard plans to travel around the world in the late Fall to finish the second volume. Former immigration officers who would like to contribute their memories of the years 1945-1981 are welcome to call Bernard in the evenings at 234-2653 or write to 22-290 Cathcart Lane, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5C4.
Dear George, As an alumnus of the PAFSO Executive, I wanted to congratulate you on the new look “bout de papier”. This format I think lends a degree of professionalism to the organization which is important at this time of changes and uncertainty. The new look will, as you suggest, enable PAFSO to provide more information to its members than was possible before.
I also feel it important that with the confusion created by integration, we have a strong Association around which we can rally and which can provide some semblance of order at a time when morale both at home and abroad is reportedly low.
Keep up the good work and may I wish you and other members of the Executive the best of luck in the coming year.
Yours sincerely, R.A. Fairweather Counsellor (Commercial)
Cher George, Félicitations pour la philosophie nouvelle de l’APASE. Les services aux membres ont été un secteur très négligé par votre association jusqu’ici.
Jean-Yves Dionne
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Originally published in / Publié à l’origine dans bout de papier, September 1983 // Septembre 1983, p. 8. Read the rest of this issue / Lire le reste de ce numéro →
