Colin Robertson

 

A career foreign service officer, Colin Robertson is currently Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University where he is directing a project on Canada-US relations with the support of Governments, the private and not-for-profit sectors. The Report 'From Correct to Inspired: An Engagement Strategy for Canada-US relations' was presented to the prime minister and premiers in January, 2009. Robertson is also teaching graduate level courses on Canadian foreign policy and public diplomacy.

Robertson was president of the Historica Foundation of Canada from 2006-2007. As president, Robertson was responsible for the integration of the Encounters with Canada high school youth program into Historica. Under his leadership the Foundation created a 'Friends of Historica' network across Canada, opened new internet-based portals- the youth-based FYI Canada and Access.ca, of curriculum related material on Canadian history for educators, and broadened Historica partnerships across Canada.  

Robertson served as Minister (Advocacy) and Head of the Washington Secretariat within the Canadian Embassy from 2004-2006 and as the Consul General in Los Angeles from 2000-2004. The territory for which he was responsible included California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. Trade relations significantly increased during his tour of duty.  
 
In Ottawa he held positions in the United States (1985-6) and UN Bureaux (1977-78), the Policy Planning Secretariat (1992-3), Media Relations Office (1978), Federal-Provincial Relations during the constitutional patriation process(1981-2) and Foreign Policy Communications divisions (1993-4). He was Legislative Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs, Honourable Allan J. MacEachen (1982-84). He managed the legislative effort that led to the creation of the Asia-Pacific Foundation and the Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security.

He served as Manager, Corporate Relations and Public Affairs for Petro-Canada International Assistance Corporation (1984-5) returning to Foreign Affairs when the agency was abolished as part of the Nielsen program review.

From 1985 to 1987, he was a member of the team that negotiated the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. In 1993 he was Coordinator, NAFTA Implementing Legislation, the biggest omnibus legislation to pass through the Canadian parliament. He was the first Canadian NAFTA Communications Co-ordinator (1998-2000) and led the development of the tri-national NAFTA Works campaign and website.  

He served (Third Committee, Human Rights) with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in 1977 and at the Consulate General in New York from 1978 to 1981 where he was responsible for congressional relations and outreach to universities. From 1987 to 1992, Robertson served as Counsellor and Consul in Hong Kong with accreditation to the People's Republic of China as well as to Macao.
 
As Director General of Public Affairs at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration (1994-6) he worked on the launch of the new Immigration policy and led the project which created the Modular Public Education Tools: Teacher's Guide, Stardate 2232 CD ROM and hour-long docu-drama Land of Hope.
 
As Executive Director of Public Affairs at the Treasury Board Secretariat (1996-98) he was part of the 'Getting Government Right' team that focused on more effective parliamentary oversight, improved comptrollership, the streamlining of regulation and the renewal of the public service.
 
Appointed Senior Advisor for Trade Communications to the Deputy Minister of Trade (1998) he prepared the departmental business plan. Named Director General of Communications (1998-2000) at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, he directed communications strategy during the Kosovo crisis, WTO Seattle conference, and Y2K.
Active in community affairs he served on executive of the Manor Park Community Association and on the executive of the New York and Ottawa branches of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs. He is a member of the Pacific Council for International Policy. He was a Senior Fellow (2002-04) at the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research. The Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association named him 2004 'Friend of the Industry'. At 2004 Homecoming, he was given the 'Distinguished Alumnus' award by the University of Manitoba. In March, 2005, he was presented with the Alberta Centennial Medal by Premier Ralph Klein and then Intergovernmental Affairs Minister (and now Premier) Ed Stelmach; in May, 2006, he was presented the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal by Lt. Gov. Lynda Haverstock.
 
Robertson is a former president of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers and editor of the award-winning bout de papier, Canada's magazine of diplomacy and foreign service. He is co-author of Decision at Midnight: an inside account of the Free Trade Negotiations (UBC, 1996), finalist in the National Business Book Award. While in Hong Kong, he reviewed 'thrillers' for the South China Morning Post. He swims, runs slowly, reads voraciously and plays tennis badly.