bout de papier, Vol. 4, No. 4 (1986) — Winter 1986 // Hiver 1986, p. 17
There can be few Canadians involved in international economic diplomacy in the past 20 years who did not have the good fortune to cross paths with Bob Joyce. Diplomacy is an art which comes only with difficulty to most officers trained in the rigours of the Department of Finance. Bob Joyce was the exception. He moved with grace and skill in multilateral and bilateral economic and trade negotiations. He served with distinction and poise in Washington and Brussels.
Harold Nicolson set the standard for the ideal qualities of a diplomat in his celebrated Diplomacy; “Truth, accuracy, calm, patience, good temper, modesty and loyalty…” Intelligence, knowledge, discernment, prudence, hospitality, charm, industry, courage and even tact Nicholson took for granted. Bob possessed and displayed these qualities in full measure.
My most vivid memories of Bob stem from the last two years of the Tokyo round when he was the senior Finance representative on Jake Warren’s Senior Committee. Bob Latimer was the senior ITC representative and the committee was known as the two Bobs and Jake. Throughout the hours, the days, the nights, the weekends, Bob Joyce with his humour, his shrewd appreciation of Canadian interests, his kindness, patience and good will rendered the heavy burdens and the tremendous pressures bearable and rewarding.
His sudden passing is a grievous loss to us all and to the Canadian public service. Ed Clark, late of the National Energy program and now in the lucrative private sector in Toronto, mused thoughtfully on the public service in a recent interview. He observed that “Ottawa is driven by ideas. Energy is devoted to great internal debates about the right thing to do… the good people who deal in public policy really want to make Canada a better place to live. You work every night and every weekend… because you feel you’re cheating the Canadian public if you can’t solve the big problems … You feel you owe it to the public not to go on holidays until you solve the problem. In Toronto, you… take three weeks off and all that happens is that you don’t earn as much money.”
St. Paul writes to St. Timothy, “I have finished the course, I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith.” Bob Joyce was a man of ambition. He sought to be the good and faithful servant in his professional and personal life. None can doubt that this high ambition was achieved
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 4, No. 4 (1986) — Winter 1986 // Hiver 1986, p. 17. Read the rest of this issue →
