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PAFSO Awards
Leslie Toope
Acceptance Speech by Leslie Toope
June 7, 2001
"In a few weeks time, I will have been in the Foreign Service for 15 years. I really didn’t expect to still be here and I am sure many of you didn’t expect me to be here either. I joined the Foreign Service on the 5 year plan, the "let’s try this out and see how it goes plan". Many things bugged me in those first 5 years – the length of time it takes to change bad policy, the limits on my ability to help many of the people I encountered in my work as a Visa Officer, the beige walls, beige carpet and beige sofa in my assigned house.
These things still bug me, but I’m still here.
I am still here because I believe that the work that immigration foreign service officers do is meaningful work – work that protects and enriches the social and cultural fabric of our country; and work that is important to the individual nannies, refugees, fiancees, and physiotherapists who choose to leave behind everything they know and take a chance on a new life Canada.
I am still here because our work is never predictable or boring because it’s about people – real human beings with complex lives, and dreams for their children.
I am still here because I can’t imagine finding another group of colleagues who are as passionate about their work, supportive of one another, and have as much down to earth, worldly wise common sense as my colleagues at Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
And I am still here because the Foreign Service keeps on giving me opportunities to be creative, to learn, and to live the public service values I gained from my parents.
Ever since I joined the Foreign Service I have struggled with how to be an independent thinker and still support the corporate culture, how to promote change without becoming a pest, how to provide leadership while also allowing others room to contribute and develop, how to have an interesting life as well as an interesting job. For the opportunities, example, guidance, and time they have given me over the years as I grappled with these questions I would especially like to thank:
Anne Arnott
John Maffett
Konrad Sigurdson
Rod Fields
Claudette Deschêsnes
Barbara Richardson
Renald Dussault
and Laurier Beaudoin
Le service exterieur est un concept beaucoup plus grand que le groupe FS representés par l APASE/PAFSO. Le service exterieur comprend également nos collègues de l’ACDI, de la GRC, du Ministere de la Defense Nationale qui travaillent avec nous a l’étranger, les agents consulaires, les medecins, et tout le personnel non-permutant de l’administration centrale qui appuie nos efforts.
The foreign service is much bigger than the FS group represented by PAFSO. The foreign service is also our colleagues in CIDA, the RCMP & DND who work side by side with us abroad, Management Consular officers, Medical Officers, and non-rotational staff in our headquarters who support our operations in the field.
Je voudrais également souligner le travail des neuf cent trente employes recrutés sur place qui sont quotidiennement d’un précieux soutien au programme d’immigration a l’étranger.
I would like to make special mention of the 930 locally engaged employees who are involved in the delivery of the immigration program abroad.
During my assignments in Jamaica and Washington and the training I have given to LES in Ottawa, Nairobi, Hong Kong and Sydney, I have been touched by their dedication to serving my country and by the trust and generosity they have shown by sharing their culture with me. I have learned more about cultural sensitivity from Valerie Johnson, a locally engaged Designated Immigration Officer in Kingston Jamaica than any course could teach.
I was truly amazed to learn about all the people who contributed to my nomination for this award. I would like to thank them and the friends and colleagues and family who have supported me throughout my career – especially on those days when I felt like giving up the battle.
What pleases me the most about this award is that my nomination was initiated by my team – the people who have worked with me on good and bad hair days and who know what I have tried to accomplish during my six years leading the training unit. I have been fortunate to have worked with an extraordinary team of professionals who, through some miracle of the assignment process, have all shared my vision of client service and of immigration. Who are dedicated to finding new ways to support their colleagues in the field and who believe that all people, colleagues and clients alike, must be treated with dignity and understanding, and who have a deep respect for the law and the power and authority given to us by parliament. I share this award with my team, past and present – many of whom are here tonight. They are:
Lynda Joyce
Marija Jaworskyj
Carole Courchesne
Allan Martin
Georges Menard
Marie Desbois
Caroline Guimond
Mark Floyd
Claire Penny
Scott Young
Suzanne Barbeau
Jacinthe Roberge Binovec
Michael Watts
Robert Forest
I would like to especially thank two of the smartest, funniest and most capable women I have had the pleasure of knowing. First Carole Courchesne and now Claire Penny have been the backbone of the training team, keeping the bills paid, the clients happy, and team fluffed up and ready for each opening night. Without Claire and Carole, we would not be a team.
L’automne marquera pour moi le début d’une nouvelle affectation a l’intèrieur d’une petite partie du service exterieur soit celle des agents medicaux a l’etranger. Ces agents sont responsables de la santé de tous les focntionnaires en poste a l’étranger en plus d’assurer que les immigrants et les visiteurs ne posent pas un risque pour la santé et la securité du publique au Canada.
This Fall I will begin a new assignment with another small branch of the foreign service – the overseas medical officers. These officers are responsible for the health of all public servants posted abroad as well as ensuring that immigrants and visitors to Canada do not pose a threat to public health and safety.
It will be hard for me to leave the training section – after 6 years it is still a challenging, creative and satisfying job. It is challenging because the needs of our colleagues in the field for support are so great and distance, workloads and resource limitations make it difficult to meet those needs. It is creative because management has given me and my team the autonomy, trust and support we need to do our job well. And it is rewarding because our colleagues appreciate everything we do for them.
I hope you all will have assignments like that.
Thank you."
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