Official Delegation (PDF)

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston
Governor General of Canada
David Johnston began his professional career as an assistant professor in the
Faculty of Law at Queen’s University in 1966, moving to the Law Faculty at
the University of Toronto in 1968. He became dean of the Faculty of Law at
the University of Western Ontario in 1974. In 1979, he was named principal
and vice-chancellor of McGill University, and in July 1994, he returned to
the McGill Faculty of Law as a full-time professor. In June 1999, he became
the fifth president of the University of Waterloo. Mr. Johnston has served
on many provincial and federal task forces and committees. He has also
served on the boards of a number of companies, including Arise, CGI,
Fairfax, and Masco. He was president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and
of the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec. He was the founding chair of
the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, chaired the federal government’s
Information Highway Advisory Council, and served as the first non-American chair of the Board of
Overseers at Harvard University. He is the author or co-author of two dozen books, holds honorary
doctorates from over a dozen universities, and has been awarded the Order of Canada (Companion).
Mr. Johnston holds an LL.B. from Queen’s University (1966), an LL.B. from the University of Cambridge
(1965), and an AB from Harvard University (1963). While at Harvard, he was twice selected for the
All-American hockey team and is a member of Harvard’s Athletic Hall of Fame. His academic
specializations include securities regulation, information technology and corporate law.
Her Excellency Sharon Johnston
Mrs. Johnston graduated as a physical and occupational therapist in 1966,
from the University of Toronto. She worked in the area of child psychiatry.
She completed a master’s and doctorate in rehabilitation science,
all while raising her five daughters. At the master’s level, she studied
a more effective way of clearing the small airways of cystic fibrosis
sufferers. Her doctoral thesis examined the coordination of respiratory
muscles during normal speech, stuttered speech and singing. Her thesis
resulted in the publication of scientific articles on respiratory mechanics.
While her husband, David Johnston, was president of the University of Waterloo (Ontario), Mrs. Johnston
managed for 12 years a hundred-acre farm and a small horse-boarding business called Chatterbox Farm.
Mrs. Johnston has a novel-in-progress, begun in the postgraduate program for writers at
Humber College. The novel is a fictional account of life in southwestern Alberta during a colourful,
post-Great War era, and is based on the experiences of Mrs. Johnston’s grandmother.

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs)
Diane Ablonczy was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993, and
re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. Ms. Ablonczy was
appointed secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) in August 2007,
and then minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) in October 2008.
In January 2010, she was appointed minister of State (Seniors) and,
in January 2011, she was appointed minister of State of Foreign Affairs
(Americas and Consular Affairs). She previously served as
parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Finance. Ms. Ablonczy has been a
member of several committees of the House of Commons, including
the standing committees on Citizenship and Immigration, Human Resources Development and
the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and Health. She has also served on the House of Commons Finance
Committee. Prior to entering political life, Ms. Ablonczy enjoyed a varied career, which included
experiences ranging from teaching junior high school, to managing a grain farm operation, to building a
successful law practice. Ms. Ablonczy was named honorary president of the Hoy Sun Association of
Calgary, which represents members of the local Chinese and Vietnamese communities.
Ms. Ablonczy graduated from the University of Calgary and has degrees in education and law.
She is married to Ron and has one daughter, four step-children and five grandchildren.
The Honourable Gary Goodyear (Brazil only)
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
(Federal Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
Gary Goodyear was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004, and he
was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. On October 30, 2008, he was appointed
minister of State for Science and Technology, and on August 13, 2009,
he was named minister of State responsible for the Federal Economic
Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)
by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Prior to entering federal politics,
he practised chiropractic medicine and worked as an advisor to
investment firms in the biomedical industry. A former public relations
director and past president of the College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences
in Toronto, Dr. Goodyear taught at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and the University of
Waterloo. He was co-designer of a three-year post-graduate sports fellowship program and was
co-author of Practice Guidelines. He has worked with many athletes, both amateur and professional,
and served as medical services chair of the Ontario Special Olympics. Dr. Goodyear attended the
University of Waterloo, specializing in kinesiology and psychology, before graduating from the Canadian
Memorial Chiropractic College. He worked his way through university as a meat packer and labourer.
A native of Cambridge, Ontario, he is married to Valerie and they have two children. He enjoys
scuba diving, writing and rebuilding motorcycles.

Deepak Obhrai
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deepak Obhrai was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997,
and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed
parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in
February 2006. He has also served as parliamentary secretary to
the Minister of International Co-operation. He is a past president of
the India-Canada Association, the Monterey Community Association and
the Hindu Society of Calgary, and vice-president of the National
Indo/Canadian Council.
Mr. Obhrai and his wife, Neena, have three children.
Rod Bruinooge (Brazil only)
Member of Parliament
Rod Bruinooge is a resident of south Winnipeg and is an active member of
the civic community. He and his wife, Chantale, have two young children,
Sarah and Luke, and have enjoyed the opportunity to represent the
constituents of Winnipeg South since 2006.
Rod Bruinooge is a graduate of the University of Manitoba
(Political Science) and a strong advocate for the U of M in the nation’s
capital. He was also a director and vice-chair of the Manitoba Children’s
Museum (2002-2003), as well as president of the Wildwood Community
Centre. In addition, he was also active in Winnipeg’s health community serving in roles as the director
of Riverview Health Centre, a council member for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and a
committee member with the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba.
Before he entered politics, Mr. Bruinooge was an entrepreneur, and worked in the film and gaming
industries. In 1997, he launched the Internet game ‘‘The Stone,’’ which earned international
recognition and was featured in Forbes magazine. In 2004, he released a documentary about
the game’s players, playfully titled ‘‘Stoners.’’
In 2005, he became the executive director of the Winnipeg International Film Festival and served in
that role until he was elected.
Mr. Bruinooge was born in Thompson, Manitoba, in 1973, to a Dutch father and Aboriginal mother.
He became the first Métis elected member of the Conservative party when Prime Minister Harper appointed
him parliamentary secretary to the minister of Indian Affairs in the government’s first days in office.
Mr. Bruinooge was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006, and was re-elected in 2008.
Since being re-elected, he founded the Post-Secondary Education Caucus, to which he was elected
chair. He is also a member of the Conservative Aboriginal Caucus, chair of the multi-party pro-life
caucus, and chair of the Canada Netherlands Friendship Group.

Phil McColeman (Brazil only)
Member of Parliament
Phil McColeman was elected to the House of Commons in 2008,
and re-elected on May 2, 2011, as the member of Parliament for Brant.
In addition to representing his constituents, he serves on two standing
committees: Industry, Science and Technology; and Human Resources,
Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
As well, he has been elected vice-chair of the Canada-US Inter-
Parliamentary Association, and vice-chair of the Conservative Post-
Secondary Education Caucus.
Prior to entering politics, he owned and operated property development and construction companies,
received numerous industry awards and served as president of both the Brantford and Ontario home
builders’ associations.
He has demonstrated strong leadership and commitment to family, community and public service, serving
as vice-chair of the Brantford Police Services Board, director of the Brant Brantford Regional Chamber
of Commerce, president of Lansdowne Children’s Centre, and governor of Wilfrid Laurier University.
Mr. McColeman’s keen interest in education helped establish the Conservative Post-Secondary
Education Caucus (PSEC). Since 2008, PSEC has focused on the issues facing post-secondary institutions,
advising the government on public policy, and promoting Canada’s world-class universities,
polytechnics and colleges.
Robert Chisholm (Brazil only)
Member of Parliament
In addition to being Dartmouth-Cole Harbour's voice in the House of
Commons, Robert Chisholm currently holds the position of deputy finance
critic in the NDP Official Opposition caucus. He has also been the NDP’s
international trade critic, and critic for Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency (ACOA) and the Atlantic Gateway.
As a member of Parliament, Mr. Chisholm is deeply committed to
representing the best interests of Dartmouth-Cole Harbour. As a strong
proponent of equality and social justice, he is also committed to ensuring
that all people have a voice in our democratic system.
At the community level, he believes that an MP should work to actively connect people with the right
resources, with all levels of government, and with each other in order to share ideas and information,
and help the whole community grow stronger and healthier.

Mr. Chisholm is probably best known for leading the Nova Scotia NDP from 4 to 19 seats—and into the role
of Official Opposition—in the provincial election of 1998. He served as an MLA for 12 years, and earned a
reputation as an active leader, and a strong voice for Nova Scotia families and the issues they faced.
After leaving politics in 2003, he continued to apply his commitment to fairness, respect and problemsolving
in the private sector. He worked as Atlantic regional director for CUPE, and later founded
Simon Chisholm Consulting with his wife, Paula. He also served as co-chair of the Nova Scotia provincial
government's transition team following the 2009 election.
Contributing to the community is important to him. He has been honoured to serve on the Board of
Governors at Dalhousie University; as board chair of the Prior Learning Centre; and as board member
and 2010-2011campaign co-chair for the United Way of Halifax Region.
Mr. Chisholm hails from Kentville, Nova Scotia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie,
and a Masters in Sociology from Carleton University.
Jamal A. Khokhar
Ambassador of Canada to the Federative State of Brazil
Jamal Khokhar was appointed as the ambassador of Canada to Brazil in
October 2010.
At the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, he served
as director general of the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau, and was
responsible for managing Canada’s bilateral relationships both in the
region and through the Organization of American States. In this capacity,
Mr. Khokhar helped craft Canada's Americas Strategy.
From 2006-2008, Mr. Khokhar served as a chief of staff to the President of the Inter-American
Development Bank, in Washington, and led the creation of the Bank’s new Office of Outreach
and Partnerships.
Most recently, he was the regional director general for the Americas at the Canadian International
Development Agency. He was responsible for bilateral development assistance programming in
Latin America and the Caribbean, and oversaw the Haiti program at the time of the earthquake.
As executive director at the Treasury Board Secretariat, he led the review of Canada’s post 9-11
Public Security and Anti-Terrorism programs and activities. In addition to a variety of trade and
economic portfolio assignments, Mr. Khokhar served as the executive assistant to two deputy ministers
for International Trade. His assignments overseas included five years at the Canadian Embassy in
Washington, DC, as well as assignments in Lagos, Nigeria, and São Paulo, Brazil.
Originally from Calgary, Mr. Khokhar studied at McGill University in Montréal, the University of Ottawa,
the American University in Washington, and, in 2002, Harvard University as a Fellow of the
Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.

Ruth Archibald
High Commissioner of Canada to Barbados
Ruth Archibald joined the Department of External Affairs and
International Trade in 1993. Initially serving with the Government of
Ontario, she worked with a number of political organizations from 1972
to 1988. From 1988 to 1992, she was successively chief of staff in
the offices of the Minister of Employment and Immigration and of the
Secretary of State for External Affairs. Since joining the department,
she has held the positions of director of Migration, Population and
Refugees Division; director general of the Global and Human Issues
Bureau; and senior coordinator, International Crime and Terrorism.
She served as Canada’s high commissioner in Colombo from 1998 to 2002, and also served as high
commissioner to the Republic of South Africa from 2006-2009. She is currently high commissioner to
Barbados, with concurrent accreditation to the Commonwealth of Dominica, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and the three British
overseas territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands and Montserrat).
Karen L. McDonald
High Commissioner for Canada to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Ms. Karen L. McDonald arrived in Port of Spain in December 2008, to take
up the position of high commissioner for Canada to the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago.
Prior to this assignment, she served as minister-counsellor for Political
and Economic Affairs and Public Relations at the Canadian Embassy, in
Brazil (2005-2008), where she was honoured to be involved in the 2007
State visit of then governor general the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean.
Other diplomatic assignments outside Canada have included serving as
deputy political advisor at the Delegation of Canada to NATO, in Brussels, Belgium (1995-1999),
where she worked on political-military issues. From 1991-1992, Ms. McDonald served as second
secretary at the Embassy of Canada in Bogota, Colombia, with responsibility for Canada’s aid programs
in Colombia and Ecuador.
Within Canada, Ms. McDonald's foreign service career has included assignments as foreign policy advisor
in the Privy Council Office, providing advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on western hemispheric
affairs (1999-2001); as chief of staff to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2001-2003); and as
director for Canada-US Affairs (2003-2005). She also served as head of the OAS Unit through three OAS
general assemblies (1992-1995), and as program manager in the Andean Division of the Canadian
International Development Agency (1989-1991).
Ms. McDonald is married to Mr. Bruce White.

Stephen Wallace
Secretary to the Governor General of Canada
One of nine children from a naval family originating in the
Atlantic provinces, Mr. Wallace grew up in Halifax and Ottawa,
studied the arts and business administration, and has focused much
of his career on international affairs and public administration. His early
work as a teacher, volunteer, diplomat and aid worker concentrated
mainly on Africa and Central America. Mr. Wallace spent many years
with the Canadian International Development Agency, where he managed
several reconstruction programs and served as the vice-president of
the Afghanistan Task Force.
His public policy assignments included the Special Joint Committee of Parliament Reviewing Canadian
Foreign Policy, as well as work on civil society with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development. As a senior public servant, Mr. Wallace served as assistant secretary of government
operations at the Treasury Board Secretariat, and most recently, as associate deputy minister for the
Department of Canadian Heritage. His family is centered near Wakefield, Quebec. He is a recipient of
the 125 th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal. Stephen Wallace became Secretary to the
Governor General in February 2011.
Jon Allen (Brazil only)
Assistant Deputy Minister, Americas
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Jon Allen is currently the assistant deputy minister for the Americas at
the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, where he is
responsible for Canada’s political and economical relations with North
America, Latin America and the Caribbean. A long-serving
Canadian diplomat, Mr. Allen served as Canada’s ambassador to Israel
(2006-2010) and as minister (Political Affairs) at the Canadian Embassy in
Washington (2004-2006). He also has been posted to Mexico and India.
Mr. Allen spent his early career in the Legal Bureau, where he represented
Canada in disputes under the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement. He has also worked in the areas of
human rights and humanitarian and environmental law. Mr. Allen has an LLB from the University of
Western Ontario and an LLM in International Law from the University of London (LSE).

Jamshed Merchant (Brazil only)
Assistant Deputy Minister, Agri-Environment Services Branch
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Jamshed Merchant is the assistant deputy minister of the Agri-
Environment Services Branch (AESB) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
AESB’s mission is to bring multi-disciplinary expertise and innovative
environmental solutions to the agriculture and agri-food sector,
supporting the vision of a sector that is both competitive and contributes
to a healthy environment.
Previously, Mr. Merchant was an assistant secretary at the Treasury Board
of Canada Secretariat, and was responsible for Climate Change Review,
Sustainable Development and Aboriginal Affairs.
He started his career in the federal government with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, working for the
Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, in Vegreville, Alberta, and in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Within the organization, he held numerous posts, principally as a soil conservationist in northeast Alberta.
Prior to joining the federal government, Mr. Merchant worked as a soil scientist for
Alberta Environment, in Edmonton, and was a faculty lecturer and research associate in
the Department of Geography at McGill University, Montréal, Quebec.
He is currently the chair of the Global Research Alliance Governance Working Group, as well as the
Canadian co-chair of both the Canada-Brazil Consultative Committee on Agriculture and the Canada-
Brazil Science & Technology Committee.
Margaret Huber
Chief of Protocol of Canada
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Margaret Huber joined the Canadian Foreign Service after graduate
school and has served abroad in Washington, New York, Manila and
Brussels. She has also served as consul general in Osaka and in Milan, and
as ambassador to the Czech and Slovak republics, as high commissioner
to Pakistan and, most recently, as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq.
In Ottawa, she has served with the Japan Trade Development Division;
U.S. Trade Policy Division; GATT Trade Policy Division; as director of the
European Community Trade and Economic Relations Division; and as director general of both the Export
and Import Controls Bureau and the North Asia and Pacific Bureau. She was named chief of Protocol of
Canada on December 17, 2010.

Abina M. Dann
Consul General of Canada to São Paulo
Since 1980, when she joined the Department of Industry, Trade and
Commerce, Ms. Dann has served abroad as a trade commissioner in
São Paulo, The Hague and New York. In 1986, she opened Canada’s Trade
Office in Mumbai. In Ottawa, she served the Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade as deputy director of the Media Relations Office,
director of the Foreign Policy Communications Division, and director for
Communications and Media for the 2001 Summit of the Americas.
She served as press secretary to both the Minister for International Trade
and the Secretary of State for External Affairs, and acted as official
departmental spokesperson. From 2001 to 2004, she served as director of the department’s
European Business Development and Connectivity Division. She was also an international fellow at
Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. She served as ambassador to
Ukraine from 2005 to 2008. She is currently consul general in São Paulo, Brazil.
Sanjeev Chowdhury
Consul General of Canada to Rio de Janeiro
Sanjeev Chowdhury joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade in 1995 as an officer with the G7 Summit.
Between 1995 and 1997, he worked in the Parliamentary Relations
Division, then in the Media Relations Division. He then accepted an
assignment as assistant trade commissioner in Mumbai. He returned to
Ottawa in 2000 to become a financial analyst.
From 2001 to 2002, he served as press secretary to the minister of
Foreign Affairs. From 2002 to 2003, he was director of operations to
the deputy prime minister and minister of Finance at the Privy Council Office. From 2003 to 2006, he
served as consul general in Ho Chi Minh City. During this time, he had two short assignments as acting
high commissioner to Sri Lanka and as acting consul general in Mumbai. In 2006, he returned to Ottawa
to become deputy chief of protocol. Between 2007 and 2008, he held two director positions related to
Canada’s role in Afghanistan, before becoming director of operations on the Afghanistan Task Force at
the Privy Council Office. In 2009, he became director general of programs at the Summits Management
Office until his appointment as consul general to Rio de Janeiro in August 2011.
Neil Reeder (Barbados &Trinidad and Tobago only)
Director General, Latin America and Caribbean
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Neil Reeder joined the Department of External Affairs and
International Trade in 1981, and has served abroad at Canadian diplomatic
missions in Rabat, Morocco, Washington D.C. and Hong Kong. He was
high commissioner of Canada to Brunei Darussalam, from 1999 to 2002,
and until August 2005, he served as deputy head of mission at

the Canadian embassy in Mexico. He was formerly the ambassador to Costa Rica, with concurrent
accreditation to Nicaragua and Honduras.
In Ottawa, Mr. Reeder undertook assignments in the East Asia Division, the Francophone Africa Division,
and the Caribbean and Central America Relations Division. He also served as public liaison officer in
the Arms Control and Disarmament Division. From 1995 to 1997, he was a foreign policy analyst
(Asia Pacific) in the Foreign Affairs and Defence Secretariat of the Privy Council Office, where he was
awarded a Public Service Outstanding Achievement Award by the Clerk of the Privy Council in 1997.
From 1997 to 1999, he was director of the Media Relations Office. From 2005-2007, he was director
general of the Communications Bureau.
Mr. Reeder was editor of Bout de papier, the Canadian Foreign Service magazine, from 1998 to 1999,
and was editor of the Disarmament Bulletin, a publication of the Department of Foreign Affairs,
from 1984 to 1987. Mr. Reeder obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan
in 1979, and subsequently his Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in 1981. He is
married to Irene Hansen-Reeder and they have three children.