Arthur Edward Blanchette (March 23, 1921 - August 30, 2003) was a Canadian diplomat.[1][2] Born in Hartford, Connecticut, he graduated from the University of Montreal in 1940 and took his PhD in 1945 in Ottawa where he entered in the Latin-American section of the Wartime information board. In 1969 he was at the Direction between francophone countries. He was Chargé d'Affaires to Egypt then Acting High Commissioner to South Africa followed by Acting Commissioner at the ICSC for Cambodia, then Chargé d'Affaires a.i. to Greece before returning home to a post in the department of francophone countries at External Affairs in Ottawa. Then Ambassador and Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States[3] then to Tunisia,[4] and, after an extended impasse, non-resident ambassador to Libya.[5]

After retiring from foreign service, Blanchette became director of the historical division of the Department of External Affairs. He caused some controversy in 1983 due to a book he was preparing on the department's history. Some figures who appeared in the proposed book, including former External Affairs minister and future Prime Minister, Paul Martin, objected to its content.[6]

Blanchette was the editor of two volumes of speeches and papers entitled Canadian Foreign Policy.[7][8]

He was the father of Alix Cléo Roubaud.

Diplomatic posts Preceded byEstablished Chargé d'Affaires a.i. to Egypt 1954– Succeeded byKenneth Porter Kirkwood Preceded byEvan William Thistle Gill Acting High Commissioner to South Africa 1957–1958 Succeeded byJames Joseph Hurley Preceded byEric Herbert Gilmour Acting Commissioner to ICSC for Cambodia 1958–1959 Succeeded byD'Iberville Fortier Preceded byHon. Antonio Barrette Chargé d'Affaires a.i. to Greece 1966–1967 Succeeded byHerbert Frederick Brooks-Hill Feaver Preceded byMichel Antonin Careau Ambassador and Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States 1976–1980 Succeeded byKenneth Bryce Williamson Preceded byJean-Marcel Touchette Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tunisia 1980–1983 Succeeded byWitold Maciej Weynerowski Preceded byMichael Charles Temple Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Libya 1982–1983 Succeeded byWitold Maciej Weynerowski

References

  1. ^ "Arthur Blanchette". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Canada appoints new ambassadors". The Leader-Post. Canadian Press. 27 May 1976. p. 12. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  3. ^ "OAS charter changes could be for Canada's benefit". Calgary Herald. Canadian Press. 12 July 1978. pp. A13. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Article". International Canada. 11–12: 177. 1980.
  5. ^ Best, Patrick (2 May 1984). "Canada's Libyan relations scutinized after London embassy siege". Ottawa Citizen. p. 79. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  6. ^ Best, John (16 November 1983). "External Affairs memoirs causing internal controversy". The Leader-Post. p. A6. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  7. ^ Blanchette, Arthur E., ed. (1994). Canadian Foreign Policy, 1977-1992. McGill-Queen's Press. ISBN 9780886292430.
  8. ^ Blanchette, Arthur E., ed. (2000). Canadian Foreign Policy, 1945-2000. Dundurn. ISBN 9780919614895.