bout de papier, Vol. 27, No. 2 (2013) — Spring 2013 // Printemps 2013, p. 15
On December 10, 2012 Bill Barton, frail but full of spirit, celebrated with family and friends. It was his 95th birthday.
Bill has long been recognized in the foreign service as a member of that small group of foreign service officers who have made distinctive, personal contributions to the making of Canada’s reputation in international affairs.
The Barton Group at the United Nations, created in Geneva, then transferred to New York, served as a useful venue for like-minded delegations in handling many difficult issues such as disarmament. The Group endured long after its namesake chairman had departed from his post as head of the Canadian delegation to the UN, New York in 1979, confirmation of its lasting value as an informal part of the UN structure and of Barton’s helpful contribution to the functioning of the United Nations.
A graduate of the University of British Columbia in 1940, Bill continued his prewar service with the Seaforth Highlanders throughout World War II and was discharged as a Major in 1946. He joined the Defence Research Board from which he was seconded to the Department of External Affairs in 1952 as Secretary of the Canadian Section of the Permanent Joint Board of Defence. In this capacity, he played a role in the development of Canadian-American defences in the Arctic against the Soviet long-range bomber threat. He formally joined the Department in 1954. Posted to the Embassy, Vienna in 1956, he also served as Canada’s representative on the International Atomic Energy Agency. He was Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geneva, 1972-1976 and then held the same position at the UN, New York 1976-1979. In February 1980 he was appointed as special advisor to the Department on international appointments and conflicts of interest. He retired in December 1980.
Recognition of his accomplishments began in 1978. In that year Mount Allison University conferred on him an honorary doctorate. His alma mater, UBC, followed with a doctorate in 1999 and Carleton University in 2007. In 1994 Bill was made a member of the Order of Canada. He was awarded a Silver Jubilee Medal in 2012.
While Bill pursued his career as a successful diplomat, he was at the same time a highly successful investor in the stock market. In retirement in Ottawa he was faced with the question of the disposition of his substantial holdings. From the outset he favoured the idea of providing financial support to a worthy academic institution. He ranged over a number of possibilities and quietly settled on Carleton University. At a Rideau Club dinner in early March 2008, Bill was feted for his donation of $3 million to Carleton. At the time it was said that it was the third largest donation ever made to the University. The notion that Bill’s gift was an immediate, one-time lump sum was widespread but wrong. In fact his arrangement with the University is that Carleton will receive Bill’s bequest at the time of his death. will finance the William and Jeanie Barton Chair in International Affairs. In the meantime he makes an annual donation to the University.
On June 18, 2012 Carleton authorities held opening ceremonies for a newly established resource centre. It houses materials for the faculty and students of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and the Institute of European and Russian Studies. With ample photocopying and computer facilities it is reputed to be better equipped and furnished than a similar centre at Harvard. Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and Vice-Chancellor and Fen Hampson, the then Director of the Norman Paterson School spoke about the important place that the Resource Centre occupies in the life of the University and expressed the warm appreciation of the University for the support that Bill has provided. At the entrance there is a plaque which reads: The Jeanie and William Barton Resource Centre.
A. Douglas Small is a retired Canadian Ambassador and a member of the Senior Editorial Board of bout de papier.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 27, No. 2 (2013) — Spring 2013 // Printemps 2013, p. 15. Read the rest of this issue →
