OTTAWA: Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has announced the appointment of the Honourable Bob Rae as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations (UN) in New York.
Mr. Rae brings a wealth of experience to the role, most recently serving as Canada’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues, building on his earlier work as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar.
Mr. Rae will succeed MarcAndré Blanchard as Canada’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York. Mr. Blanchard, who informed the Prime Minister of his intention to leave his post earlier this year. Mr. Blanchard helped develop Canada’s leading role in international discussions on financing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including most recently in the context of the global response to the coronavirus. Mr. Blanchard also sought to better integrate the UN’s work on development and security issues.
Mr. Rae will build on the work of the outgoing Ambassador to help advance Canada’s interests abroad. Trudeau said: “Bob Rae has dedicated his life to serving Canadians and our country, and his experience and thoughtful approach will serve us well in this new role as our Ambassador to the United Nations. Together, we will strengthen our international relationships and continue to fully engage on the world stage to help build a better future that benefits everyone.”
Bob Rae, P.C., C.C., O.Ont., Q.C., former Premier of Ontario, and former interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, was born in 1948, in Ottawa. Mr Rae received his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Modern History in 1969 from the University of Toronto, a Master of Philosophy as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in 1971, and graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1977.
Between 1978 and 2013, he was elected 11 times to federal and provincial parliaments, and served as the Premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995. Returning to the practice of law in 1996 as a partner at Goodmans LLP, Mr. Rae led the restructuring of the Canadian Red Cross, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and also chaired the board of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He also wrote Lessons to be Learned on the Air India bombing.
Mr. Rae stepped down as a Member of Parliament in 2013 to return to legal practice. He currently serves as senior counsel at Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP. In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Rae is a Fellow of the Forum of Federations, Massey College, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. He teaches at the University of Toronto in the School of Public Policy and Governance, the Faculty of Law, Massey College, and Victoria University.
He is the author of five books. Bob Rae is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Ontario, and has numerous awards and honorary degrees from Canada and around the world. Along with music, reading, and writing, he loves tennis, golf, and fishing. He is married to Arlene Perly Rae. They have three daughters and five grandchildren and live in Toronto.