Biographical notes

Backgrounder

Caroline Delany (BSc [Computer Science], University of British Columbia, 2001; MA [International Affairs], Carleton University, 2004) joined the Canadian International Development Agency in 2005. At Headquarters, she has been senior project officer in the Office for Democratic Governance (2005 to 2007); deputy director, strategic policy, in the Afghanistan Task Force (2009 to 2011); senior project officer in the South Sudan Development Program (2013 to 2015); and director of the Planning and Deployments Division in the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (2015 to 2018). Positions overseas have included first secretary, development, in Kabul (2007 to 2009) and deputy head, and then head, of cooperation in Juba (2011 to 2013).

Jason Tolland (BA Hons [Economics], Queen’s University, (1990); LLB, University of British Columbia, 1995) was called to the bar of British Columbia in 1996. He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1998 following work as a management consultant in the United Kingdom and as a labour and employment lawyer in British Columbia. In Ottawa, he has worked principally in trade and economic law and policy. He has served as policy officer for culture and intellectual property trade policy and in the Government of Canada’s Trade Law Bureau as counsel, deputy director and, most recently, as executive director. Overseas, he has served in Buenos Aires (second secretary, economic affairs), Washington, D.C., (counsellor, energy, environment and fisheries) and Berlin (minister-counsellor, commercial-economic).

David Usher (BA Hons [History], Carleton University, 1979; BEd, University of Ottawa, 1980; MEd, University of Toronto, 1986), prior to joining the public service in 1991, worked in the field of development in Nigeria, Malawi, Haiti and the Philippines. In 1991, he joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada as a trade commissioner. From 1994 to 1997, he served as second secretary at the embassy in Turkey. In 2001, he became a counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the World Trade Organization, in Geneva. From 2004 to 2008, he was director of the Trade Controls Policy Division and then of the Softwood Lumber Controls Division. From 2008 to 2009, he was senior departmental adviser in the Office of the Minister of International Trade. From 2009 to 2012, he served as minister-counsellor and deputy permanent representative at the Permanent Delegation of Canada to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, in Paris. From 2012 to 2015, he was appointed ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and permanent observer to the African Union. In September 2015, he became director general of trade negotiations in Global Affairs Canada, dealing with a wide range of trade policy issues.

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