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Franco Pillarella

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Franco D. Pillarella
15th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Algeria
In office
10 July 1997 – 2000[citation needed]
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterJean Chrétien
Preceded byJacques Noiseux
Succeeded byRichard Belliveau
14th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Syria
In office
26 July 2000 – 2003[citation needed]
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterJean Chrétien
Preceded byAlexandra Bugailiskis
Succeeded byBrian Davis
15th Canadian High Commissioner to Cyprus
In office
26 July 2000 – 2006[citation needed]
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterJean Chrétien
Preceded byAlexandra Bugailiskis
Succeeded byMarta Moszczenska
5th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Moldova
In office
31 July 2003 – 2006
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byRaphaël Girard
Succeeded byMarta Moszczenska
14th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria
In office
31 July 2003 – 2006
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byRaphaël Girard
Succeeded byMarta Moszczenska
12th Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Romania
In office
31 July 2003 – 2006
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byRaphaël Girard
Succeeded byMarta Moszczenska
Personal details
Born1941
NationalityCanadian
Alma materUniversity of Ottawa (BA, LL.L)
OccupationDiplomat, lawyer

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]

He is also known for his involvement in controversial diplomatic incidents, including the Maher Arar case.[2]

Early Life and Education

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Born 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

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Pillarella’s career in diplomacy spanned numerous postings and roles both abroad and in Canada.

Overseas Posts

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He 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

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Domestically, 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

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Pillarella’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

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Canadian Heads of Mission Abroad since 1800: Pillarella, Franco D. (Career)". Government of Canada. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c "Diplomatic review". Canadian Intelligence Resource Centre Archives. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  4. ^ 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.
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