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The Briefing Room

Gordon S. Smith
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Smith was born in Montr‚al on July 19, 1941. He was educated at McGill University and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D., Political Science, 1966).

Upon joining the Public Service of Canada, Mr. Smith worked first in the Department of National Defence before moving to the Department of External Affairs. In 1968 Mr. Smith was posted to the Canadian Delegation to NATO where he was responsible for nuclear and force planning affairs. In 1970 Mr. Smith came back to Ottawa as he was named Senior Adviser to the Minister of National Defence with responsibility for preparing the 1971 White Paper.

In 1972 Mr. Smith was appointed to the Privy Council (Cabinet) Office. There he was responsible for Machinery of Government, Senior Personnel and, in his last few years, planning and priority setting for the Government's policy and resource allocation process. He became Deputy Secretary (Plans), the second-ranking position in the Privy Council Office.

Mr. Smith was named Deputy Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs, responsible for management and planning, in 1979. In 1980 Mr. Smith returned to the Privy Council Office as Associate Secretary to the Cabinet responsible for a new policy and expenditure management system and for security and intelligence.

In 1981 Mr. Smith became Secretary of the Ministry of State for Social Development, a coordinating super-ministry for both policy and resource allocation.

In 1985 Mr. Smith was appointed Deputy Minister, Political Affairs, in the Department of External Affairs and International Trade. Later that year he was named Permanent Representative and Ambassador to NATO, a position he held until 1990.

In September of 1990 the Prime Minister appointed Mr. Smith Secretary to the Cabinet for Federal-Provincial Relations. He was the Government's senior adviser on unity and constitutional questions.

Mr. Smith was appointed Ambassador to the European Communities in September 1991. The Prime Minister appointed Mr. Smith Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in August 1994. Mr. Smith is also the Prime Minister's personal representative (Sherpa) for economic summits.

 

Summit of the Eight


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Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight

Summit of the Eight

Denver Summit of the Eight