Edgar Ritchie

For the Australian engineer, see Edgar Ritchie (engineer).

Albert Edgar Ritchie, CC (December 20, 1916 – January 24, 2002) was a Canadian diplomat.

Albert Edgar Ritchie C.C.
Canadian Ambassador to the United States
In office 1966–1970
Prime Minister	Lester Pearson Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Charles Ritchie
Succeeded by	Marcel Cadieux
Canadian Ambassador to Ireland
In office 1976–1980
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Harold Morton Maddick
Succeeded by	Alan William Sullivan
Personal details
Born	(1916-12-20)December 20, 1916 Andover, New Brunswick
Died	January 24, 2002(2002-01-24) (aged 85) Ottawa, Ontario
Nationality	Canadian
Alma mater	Mount Allison University (BA) University of Oxford (BA)

Early life and education

Born in Andover, New Brunswick, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938 from Mount Allison University. A Rhodes scholar, he received an additional Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oxford in 1940. On 20 December 1941 he married Gwen Perdue of Ottawa, his wife for 60 years.

Career

In 1944, he joined the Minister of Foreign Affairs and worked in Washington, D.C.

He resigned in 1946 to become Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs Department of the United Nations. He re-joined the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1948 and was posted in London. In 1959, he was appointed Assistant Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs. He served as Deputy Under Secretary of State for External Affairs from August 1964 until July 1966. From 1966 to 1970, he was the Canadian ambassador to the United States. From 1970 to 1974, he held the top job in Canada's foreign service as Under Secretary of State for External Affairs. From 1976 to 1980, he was the Canadian ambassador to Ireland.

In 1973 he received the Government of Canada Public Service Outstanding Achievement Award. In 1975 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Death

Ritchie died on January 24, 2002, in Ottawa, Ontario.

References

• "Canadian Who's Who 1997 entry". Retrieved 23 February 2006.