Diplomatic news

There are at least a couple of interesting aspects to the newest round of diplomatic appointments (see below).
Mr. Bachand is a former Progressive Conservative MP from Quebec, who didn't go along with the Canadian Alliance merger -- at first. For a while he served as  the Charest government's representative in Ottawa and slowly slid back into the Conservative fold, running as a candidate in Sherbrooke during the last election.
Meanwhile, in Rome, we have a new ambassador. What happened to the old one? That was Alex Himelfarb, a man who served as Privy Council Clerk to prime ministers Chretien, Martin and, oh so briefly, Stephen Harper. 
Himelfarb quietly retired from his post about a month ago and strong rumours persist that he'll be turning up as chief of staff to Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff this fall.  Neither Himelfarb nor Ignatieff's office are confirming the rumours, but they haven't denied them either. Paul Zed, the current chief of staff to Ignatieff, is expected to return to Saint John in the fall and take another run for office.

Diplomatic Appointments

 

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the following diplomatic appointments:

 

André Bachand becomes Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in Paris.

 

James A. Fox becomes Ambassador to the Italian Republic, High Commissioner to the Republic of Malta and Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, all in Rome.

 

François Lafond becomes Consul General in Monterrey (United Mexican States).

 

Sandra McCardell becomes Ambassador to the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.

 

Stephen Millar becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

 

Andrew Shisko becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Ecuador.

 

- 30 -