July 24, 2007
No. 98
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced the following diplomatic appointments:
Scott Fraser becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Finland.
Pierre Guimond becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, with concurrent
accreditation to the Republic of Slovenia.
Margaret Huber becomes Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Alain Latulippe becomes Ambassador to the Eastern Republic of Uruguay.
Thomas MacDonald becomes Consul General in Sydney (Commonwealth of
Australia).
Robert McRae becomes Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the North
Atlantic Council (NATO) in Brussels.
Darren Schemmer becomes High Commissioner to the Republic of Ghana, with
concurrent accreditation as Ambassador to the Togolese Republic.
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Biographical notes on the appointees are attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
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http://www.international.gc.ca
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Scott Fraser (BA [Economics & Political Science], University of Toronto, 1979; MBA,
McGill University, 1981) worked as an Analyst with Ford Motor Co. of Canada, prior to
joining the Foreign Service in 1982. Since joining the department, he has served abroad
in Nairobi, Auckland, Beijing and Taipei. At headquarters, he has served as Trade
Commissioner, Import Controls Division; Director, Sponsorship, APEC Leaders meeting
and Canada’s Year of Asia Pacific; Deputy Director, South Asia Division; and Director,
Trade Commissioner Service Operations. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Fraser was on leave
from the department to work as the Executive Director of the Canada China Business
Council. He currently serves as Director, Asia and Oceania Commercial Relations.
Scott Fraser succeeds Anne-Marie Bourcier.
Pierre Guimond (BA [Political Science], Université Laval, 1979) worked as a Research
Officer for the Quebec government’s Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, and as
an Information Officer for the Office of the Government of Quebec in Toronto, before
joining External Affairs in 1987. Since becoming a foreign service officer, he has served
abroad in Prague, Bonn and Vienna. At headquarters, he has served as Desk Officer in
the Strategic Policy Analysis Division, and later in the USSR, Central and Eastern
Europe Relations Division; Deputy Director, European Union Division; Senior
Departmental Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Director, European Union
Division. Additionally, Mr. Guimond served as Adviser to the Foreign Policy and
Defence Secretariat with the Privy Council Office. He is currently Director, Eastern
Europe and Balkans Division. He is married to Louise Parent. Pierre Guimond
succeeds Robert Hage.
Margaret Huber (BA Honours [History], McGill University, 1970; MA [History],
University of Ottawa, 1973; Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business
School, 1991) joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1973 and has served abroad in
Washington, New York, Manila and Brussels, and as Consul General in Osaka as well
as in Milan. She has also served as Ambassador to the Czech Republic and to the
Slovak Republic, and as High Commissioner to Pakistan. In Ottawa, she has served
with the Japan Trade Development Division; U.S. Trade Policy Division; GATT Trade
Policy Division; as Director, European Community Trade and Economic Relations
Division; Director General, Export and Import Controls Bureau; and Director General,
North Asia and Pacific Bureau. Margaret Huber succeeds Arif Lalani.
Alain Latulippe (BA [Sciences], Académie de Côte d’Ivoire, 1981; BA [English and
Italian Literature], Concordia University, 1984; post-graduate diplomas [International
Affairs], École nationale d’administration publique, 1990); volunteered with the Centre
canadien d’Études et de Coopération internationale in rural Gabon from 1985 to 1987;
and subsequently worked as a consultant to the International Development Minister and
Programme Manager at the Francophone Africa Branch with the Canadian International
Development Agency from 1987 to 1990. Mr. Latulippe joined the Department of
External Affairs in 1990 and has since served abroad in Maputo, Prague, and twice in
Brasilia, most recently as Minister Counsellor. At headquarters, he has served as Desk
Officer, North Asian Relations Division; Desk Officer, African Relations Division; and
Senior Political Analyst, Western Europe Division. He is currently Senior Departmental
Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Alain Latulippe succeeds Patricia Fuller.
Thomas MacDonald (BA [History and Political Science], Queen’s University, 1972; MA
[History], University of Calgary, 1976) joined the Department of Industry, Trade and
Commerce in 1974 and has served abroad in Mexico, Brussels (EU), London and
Buenos Aires. At headquarters, he has held a range of senior positions in several
departments (Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Department of Industry; Ministry
of State for Economic and Regional Development). He has served as Director for GATT
Affairs, Director General for the Export and Import Permits Bureau, Director General for
U.S. Trade and Economic Policy, and Deputy Head of Canada’s Mission to the
European Union in Brussels. He has represented Canada in numerous bilateral and
multilateral trade negotiations, including as Canada’s Chief Textile Negotiator, as a
NAFTA negotiator, and as lead negotiator for the 1996 Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber
Agreement. From 1996 to 2001, he served as Minister (Commercial/ Economic) at the
Canadian High Commission in London and as Canada’s Alternate Director to the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and from 2001 to 2004 as
Ambassador to Argentina and Paraguay. He is currently Director General, Central, East
and South Europe Bureau. He is married to Susan MacDonald and they have one son,
Alexander. Thomas MacDonald succeeds Richard Kohler.
Robert McRae (BA Honours [History], Queen’s University, 1974); MA [History],
University of Toronto, 1975; PhD [Political Philosophy], Université Laval, 1978) joined
the Department of External Affairs in 1981, and has since served abroad in Belgrade,
Prague, London and Brussels (NATO). At headquarters, he has served as Director,
Policy Planning Staff; Director General, Central, East and South Europe Bureau; and
Director General, Policy Planning Bureau. He currently serves as Director General,
International Security Bureau. In addition to teaching and being an accomplished
author, Mr. McRae has twice been awarded the Foreign Minister’s Award for Foreign
Policy Excellence. He has two sons, Sean and Kevan, and a daughter, Laura. Robert
McRae succeeds Jean-Pierre Juneau.
Darren Schemmer (BEd [Social Studies], University of Alberta, 1982; MBA, Royal
Roads University, 2002), was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and joined the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) in 1989 as a Development Officer with the
Andes Program, Americas Branch. He has since served in Tegulcigalpa, Washington
and Cairo. At headquarters, he has served as Senior Development Officer, South
America Program; Senior Departmental Assistant to the Minister for International
Cooperation; and Director General, Policy, Planning and Management of Americas
Branch. He is currently with CIDA as Director General, Haiti, Cuba and Dominican
Republic. Darren Schemmer succeeds Donald Bobiash.
