Biographical notes

Graham Dattels (BA Hons [International Development and Social Anthropology], Dalhousie University, 1998; MSc [Management of Non-governmental Organizations], London School of Economics and Political Science, 2001) started his international career working for non-governmental organizations in Honduras and India; he joined the Canadian International Development Agency in 2003. At Global Affairs Canada, his assignments included chief of staff and senior adviser to the assistant deputy minister, Asia Pacific (2015 to 2017); deputy director, Northeast Asia and Oceania (2017 to 2018); head of the North Korea Task Force (2019 to 2020); director for development assistance for Vietnam, Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (2020 to 2021); and, most recently, director for Southeast Asia (Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) with responsibility for political and commercial relations, development assistance and coordination of Canada’s response to the Rohingya crisis. Overseas, he served as first secretary (development) at the Embassy to Vietnam (2010 to 2012).

Michael Gort (BA Hons [Economics and Political Science], Western University, 1987; MA [International Affairs], Carleton University, 1990) joined the Canadian International Development Agency in 2003 through Interchange Canada after having worked for Canadian non-governmental organizations in Canada and overseas. At Headquarters, he has worked as director of the United Nations, Commonwealth and Francophonie Division and as director general of international organizations. Overseas, he has served in Accra and Rome and was the ambassador to Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua (2015 to 2017). Most recently, from 2020 to 2024, he served as ambassador to Chile.

Annabelle Larouche St-Sauveur (BA [Translation], Laval University and University of Valladolid, 2000; MA [International Studies], University of Montréal, 2007) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2008. At Headquarters, her assignments have included parliamentary liaison officer, desk officer for France and Benelux and desk officer for the Haiti Task Force. Overseas, she held various positions, including counsellor and trade commissioner responsible for trade policy and international business development in Seoul (2018 to 2021); senior desk officer for the European Union in Stockholm, where she worked on the promotion of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (2014 to 2016); and trade commissioner responsible for creative industries in Paris (2011 to 2013). Most recently, she served as counsellor and senior trade commissioner for India, Nepal and Bhutan in New Delhi.

Peter MacDougall (BA [Political Science], University of British Columbia, 1988; BSW, University of Victoria, 1992; MSW, McGill University, 1998; MA [International Relations], Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, 2014; Diploma, École Nationale d’Administration [national school of administration], Strasbourg, 2014) joined the public service in 2000. He has held senior positions in various departments, including at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. He joined Global Affairs Canada in 2016. At Headquarters, he has served as assistant deputy minister for Europe, the Arctic, the Middle East and the Maghreb. He has also served in the Privy Council Office as assistant secretary to the Cabinet for foreign and defence policy and director of operations in the Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat. Abroad, he served as ambassador to Jordan from 2016 to 2019. Most recently, he was assistant deputy minister for global issues and development at Global Affairs Canada and served as Canada’s G7 foreign affairs sous-sherpa.