Franco D. Pillarella is a Canadian diplomat and lawyer who has held several positions within Canada's Foreign Service. He has held ambassadorships to Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Algeria, and Syria. He was also high commissioner to Cyprus.[1]
Franco D. Pillarella | |
|---|---|
| 15th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Algeria | |
| In office 10 July 1997 – 2000[citation needed] | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Jacques Noiseux |
| Succeeded by | Richard Belliveau |
| 14th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Syria | |
| In office 26 July 2000 – 2003[citation needed] | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Alexandra Bugailiskis |
| Succeeded by | Brian Davis |
| 15th Canadian High Commissioner to Cyprus | |
| In office 26 July 2000 – 2006[citation needed] | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Alexandra Bugailiskis |
| Succeeded by | Marta Moszczenska |
| 5th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Moldova | |
| In office 31 July 2003 – 2006 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Paul Martin |
| Preceded by | Raphaël Girard |
| Succeeded by | Marta Moszczenska |
| 14th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria | |
| In office 31 July 2003 – 2006 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Paul Martin |
| Preceded by | Raphaël Girard |
| Succeeded by | Marta Moszczenska |
| 12th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Romania | |
| In office 31 July 2003 – 2006 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Paul Martin |
| Preceded by | Raphaël Girard |
| Succeeded by | Marta Moszczenska |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1941 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Alma mater | University of Ottawa (BA, LL.L) |
| Occupation | Diplomat, lawyer |
He is also known for his involvement in controversial diplomatic incidents, including the Maher Arar case.[2]
Early Life and Education
editBorn in 1941, Pillarella earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1963 and a Bachelor of Civil Law in 1966 from the University of Ottawa. He became a member of the Bar of Quebec in 1967 before joining Canada’s Department of External Affairs later that year.[3]
Diplomatic Career
editPillarella’s career in diplomacy spanned numerous postings and roles both abroad and in Canada.
Overseas Posts
editHe served in various capacities abroad, including postings in Bonn, Milan, Rome, Algiers, and The Hague. From 1988 to 1992, he was the Consul General in Berlin.[3] In 1997, Pillarella was appointed as Canada’s Ambassador to Algeria. And later went on to serve in a similar capacity in other countries.[1]
Domestic Roles
editDomestically, Pillarella worked in several divisions of the Department of External Affairs, including the Legal Operations Division, the Francophone Institutions Division, and the Human Rights and Social Affairs Division (1986–1988). In the late 1990s, he was Director of the Foreign Intelligence Division.[3]
Controversy and Maher Arar inquiry
editPillarella’s ambassadorship to Syria became a focal point during the Maher Arar inquiry, which examined Canada’s role in the detention and torture of Canadian citizens abroad.[2]
As Ambassador to Syria in 2002, Pillarella facilitated intelligence sharing between Canadian and Syrian authorities. His testimony during the inquiry revealed conflicting roles, as he both sought Arar’s release while relying on information from Syrian interrogations. Despite Arar's claims of torture, Pillarella initially trusted Syrian officials' assurances that Arar had not been mistreated. The inquiry raised significant questions about Canada’s involvement in practices that indirectly condoned torture.[2][4]
See Also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Canadian Heads of Mission Abroad since 1800: Pillarella, Franco D. (Career)". Government of Canada. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Krauss, Clifford (17 September 2005). "Evidence Grows That Canada Aided in Having Terrorism Suspects Interrogated in Syria". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "Diplomatic review". Canadian Intelligence Resource Centre Archives. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ Banham, Cynthia (September 2016). "Canada's responses to the torture of citizens". International Journal. 71 (3). Sage Publications, Ltd.: 468–487. JSTOR 26414043. Retrieved 23 November 2024.