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List of high commissioners of Australia to Canada

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High Commissioner of Australia to Canada
Incumbent
Scott Ryan
since 20 December 2021
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHis Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
ResidenceAustralia House, Sandy Hill, Ottawa
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderSir Thomas Glasgow
Formation23 December 1939
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, Canada
Australia House, the official residence of the high commissioner since 1940.
The Sun Life Financial Centre at 50 O'Connor Street, Ottawa, location of the High Commission Chancery since 1989.

The high commissioner of Australia to Canada is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia to Canada. The Australian High Commission also has responsibility for relations with Bermuda, a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Kate Logan since 9 December 2024.

Australia and Canada have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since 12 September 1939, when high commissioners were first exchanged as Australia's second independent diplomatic posting established from 29 March 1940, with only the High Commission in London (1910) being older. As fellow Dominion countries, Australia and Canada had many prior contacts, particularly in trade, and continue to share a monarch as Commonwealth realms. The High Commissioner's Official Residence is located at Australia House, Ottawa, while the Chancery is located at the Sun Life Financial Centre, Suite 1301, 50 O'Connor Street, in Downtown Ottawa. The work of the High Commission is also supported by a Consulate-General in Toronto and an Honorary Consulate in Vancouver, which are run by Austrade.

Posting history

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Formal diplomatic relations between Australia and Canada formally began on 12 September 1939 when the two countries agreed to exchange high commissioners.[1][2] Australian representation in Canada prior to this was limited to a Trade Commissioner post with a focus on promoting trade, with Rupert Haynes, an Australian businessman connected to the South Australian fruit industry, appointed by the Minister for Markets and Transport as the first "Commercial Representative for the Commonwealth of Australia in the Dominion of Canada" on 1 April 1929.[3][4][5] Haynes was recalled on 15 March 1930, and was later replaced by Lewis Richard Macgregor, who served until May 1938.[6][7]

The first Canadian high commissioner, Charles Jost Burchell, was appointed on 3 November 1939 and arrived in Australia on 27 December 1939.[8][9] On 23 December 1939, Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced the appointment of Sir Thomas Glasgow as the first Australian high commissioner.[10][11] Glasgow arrived in Ottawa on 29 March 1940.[12][13]

From 7 January 1974 to 1975, the high commissioner had non-resident accreditation for Barbados, when it was transferred to the high commissioner in Jamaica.[14]

High commissioners

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# Officeholder Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
1 Sir Thomas Glasgow 23 December 1939 (1939-12-23) 16 January 1945 (1945-01-16) 5 years, 24 days [10][12][15]
− William Roy Hodgson (Acting) 16 January 1945 (1945-01-16) 24 July 1945 (1945-07-24) 189 days [16][17][18]
2 Alfred Stirling 24 July 1945 (1945-07-24) 1 November 1946 (1946-11-01) 1 year, 100 days [19][20]
3 Frank Forde 1 November 1946 (1946-11-01) 14 May 1953 (1953-05-14) 6 years, 194 days [21][22][23][24]
4 Sir Douglas Copland 20 May 1953 (1953-05-20) 10 July 1956 (1956-07-10) 3 years, 51 days [25][26][27][28]
− Trevor Pyman (Acting) 10 July 1956 (1956-07-10) 31 January 1957 (1957-01-31) 205 days [29]
5 Walter Crocker 31 January 1957 (1957-01-31) 3 September 1958 (1958-09-03) 1 year, 215 days [30][31]
− Frederick Thomas Homer (Acting) 3 September 1958 (1958-09-03) 11 March 1959 (1959-03-11) 189 days [32]
6 Sir Walter Cawthorn 11 March 1959 (1959-03-11) 2 May 1960 (1960-05-02) 1 year, 52 days [33][34]
− Kieren Desmond (Acting) 2 May 1960 (1960-05-02) 6 May 1961 (1961-05-06) 1 year, 4 days [35]
7 David Hay 7 May 1961 (1961-05-07) 16 July 1964 (1964-07-16) 3 years, 70 days [36][37]
8 Sir Kenneth Bailey 17 July 1964 (1964-07-17) 7 May 1969 (1969-05-07) 4 years, 294 days [38][39]
− W. Kevin Flanagan (Acting) 7 May 1969 (1969-05-07) 1 August 1969 (1969-08-01) 86 days [40]
9 David McNicol 2 August 1969 (1969-08-02) April 1973 (1973-04) 3 years, 7 months [41][42]
10 James Ingram June 1973 (1973-06) December 1974 (1974-12) 1 year, 6 months [43][44]
11 Max Loveday January 1975 (1975-01) November 1977 (1977-11) 2 years, 10 months [45]
12 John Ryan November 1977 (1977-11) April 1980 (1980-04) 2 years, 5 months [46]
13 Barrie Dexter April 1980 (1980-04) September 1983 (1983-09) 3 years, 5 months [47]
14 Rowen Osborn September 1983 (1983-09) May 1985 (1985-05) 1 year, 8 months [48]
15 Robert Laurie May 1985 (1985-05) April 1989 (1989-04) 3 years, 11 months [49]
16 James Humphries April 1989 (1989-04) May 1991 (1991-05) 2 years, 1 month [50]
17 David Spencer May 1991 (1991-05) July 1993 (1993-07) 2 years, 2 months [51]
18 Frank Murray July 1993 (1993-07) May 1997 (1997-05) 3 years, 10 months [52]
19 Gregory Wood May 1997 (1997-05) July 2001 (2001-07) 4 years, 2 months [53]
20 Tony Hely July 2001 (2001-07) February 2005 (2005-02) 3 years, 7 months [54]
21 William Fisher February 2005 (2005-02) November 2008 (2008-11) 3 years, 9 months [55]
22 Justin Brown November 2008 (2008-11) December 2011 (2011-12) 3 years, 1 month [56][57]
23 Louise Hand January 2012 (2012-01) 14 January 2015 (2015-01-14) 3 years [58][59]
24 Tony Negus 15 January 2015 (2015-01-15) 30 November 2017 (2017-11-30) 2 years, 319 days [60]
25 Natasha Smith 30 November 2017 (2017-11-30) 20 December 2021 (2021-12-20) 4 years, 20 days [61]
26 Scott Ryan 20 December 2021 (2021-12-20) incumbent 3 years, 6 days [62]

Consulates

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Location Open Consular district
High Commission, Ottawa 1939 New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario (excluding Greater Toronto Area), Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Bermuda
Consulate-General, Toronto 1975 Greater Toronto Area
Consulate, Vancouver 1975 Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory

The work of the high commission is supported by a consulate-general in Toronto, which has been operated by the Australian Trade Commission (now Austrade) since 1929, and was upgraded to a consulate-general in 1975.[63][64] The Honorary Consulate in Vancouver was originally established in 1947 as a Trade Commission and also upgraded to a consulate in 1975.[65][64] There was also previously a consulate-general in Montreal from 1975 to its closure in 1976, having previously operated as a Trade Commission only since 1953.[64][66]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "AUSTRALIA TO HAVE HIGH COMMISSIONER IN CANADA". The Evening News. Rockhampton, Queensland. 13 September 1939. p. 7. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "FOR OTTAWA". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 September 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. 45. Australia, Australia. 9 May 1929. p. 1002. Retrieved 29 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF MR. HAYNES". The Register News-pictorial. South Australia. 21 February 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 29 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "NEW TRADE COMMISSIONER". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 21 February 1929. p. 13. Retrieved 29 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Commonwealth Of Australia Gazette. No. 24. Australia, Australia. 27 March 1930. p. 586. Retrieved 29 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF AUSTRALIAN TRADE COMMISSIONER IN CANADA". Commonwealth Of Australia Gazette. No. 33. Australia, Australia. 1 May 1930. p. 862. Retrieved 29 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "CANADA'S FIRST HIGH COMMISSIONER TO AUST". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 4 November 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "CANBERRA WELCOMES". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 December 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ a b "HIGH COMMISSIONER IN CANADA". The Herald. Victoria, Australia. 23 December 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "LEAVE FOR CANADA". Cairns Post. Queensland, Australia. 27 December 1939. p. 6. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ a b "SIR WILLIAM GLASGOW'S MISSION". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 30 March 1940. p. 18. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "MACKENZIE KING GREETS GLASGOW". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 30 March 1940. p. 3. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ CA 1816 – Australian High Commission, Canada [Ottawa], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 June 2022
  15. ^ "AUST. HIGH COMMISSIONER TO CANADA RETIRING". Northern Star. New South Wales, Australia. 2 January 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "HIGH COMMISSIONER TO CANADA". Northern Star. New South Wales, Australia. 16 January 1945. p. 5. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "APPOINTMENT TO OTTAWA". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 16 January 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "DIPLOMATIC POSTS ABROAD". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 3 February 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "AUSTRALIA APPOINTS 3 NEW DIPLOMATS". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 3 February 1945. p. 5. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "MR. STIRLING TAKES UP DUTIES". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 25 July 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. 229. Australia, Australia. 5 December 1946. p. 3405. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Forde New Envoy To Canada". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 6 November 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ^ "Forde's term in Canada extended". The Sun. New South Wales, Australia. 17 October 1951. p. 11. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "FORDE ABOUT TO LEAVE CANADA". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 14 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. ^ Harper, Marjorie (1993). "Copland, Sir Douglas Berry (1894 - 1971)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Archived from the original (First published in hardcopy.) on 7 July 2015.
  26. ^ "HIGH COMMISSIONER TO CANADA: Statement by the Minister for External Affairs, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Casey, 10th October, 1952". Current Notes on International Affairs. 23 (10). Department of External Affairs: 594. 31 October 1952. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 24 (5). Department of External Affairs: 300. May 1953. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  28. ^ "SIR DOUGLAS COPLAND - Retirement from Ottawa Post: Statement by the Minister for External Affairs, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Casey, 10th July, 1956". Current Notes on International Affairs. 27 (7). Department of External Affairs: 435. July 1956. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  29. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 27 (7). Department of External Affairs: 463. July 1956. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  30. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 27 (10). Department of External Affairs: 683. October 1956. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  31. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 28 (1). Department of External Affairs: 90. January 1957. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  32. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 29 (10). Department of External Affairs: 702. January 1957. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  33. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF HIGH COMMISSIONERS TO CANADA AND PAKISTAN". Current Notes on International Affairs. 29 (8). Department of External Affairs: 507. August 1958. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  34. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 30 (3). Department of External Affairs: 158. March 1959. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  35. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 31 (5). Department of External Affairs: 244. May 1960. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  36. ^ "Australian High Commissioner to Canada". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (1–2). Department of External Affairs: 83. January–February 1961. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  37. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (5). Department of External Affairs: 40. May 1961. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  38. ^ "Appointment of Australian High Commissioner to Canada". Current Notes on International Affairs. 35 (4). Department of External Affairs: 61. 30 April 1964. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  39. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 35 (7). Department of External Affairs: 66. July 1964. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  40. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 40 (5). Department of External Affairs: 271. May 1969. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  41. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 40 (8). Department of External Affairs: 466. August 1969. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  42. ^ "Deputy High Commissioner, London". Current Notes on International Affairs. 43 (12). Department of External Affairs: 627. December 1972. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  43. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 44 (4). Department of External Affairs: 291. April 1973. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  44. ^ Barnard, Lance (19 April 1973). "Foreign Affairs Appointments" (Press release). Australian Government.
  45. ^ "Diplomatic Appointments". Australian foreign affairs record. 48 (7). Department of External Affairs: 386. July 1977. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  46. ^ Peacock, Andrew (19 September 1977). "High Commissioner Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  47. ^ Peacock, Andrew (8 April 1980). "Diplomatic Appointment" (Press release). Australian Government.
  48. ^ Hayden, Bill (12 August 1983). "Appointment of High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  49. ^ Hayden, Bill (26 April 1985). "Diplomatic appointment - Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  50. ^ Duffy, Michael (9 February 1989). "Diplomatic appointment: Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  51. ^ Evans, Gareth (4 March 1991). "Diplomatic appointment - Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  52. ^ Evans, Gareth (7 July 1993). "Diplomatic appointment - Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  53. ^ Downer, Alexander (27 March 1997). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  54. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 May 2001). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  55. ^ Downer, Alexander (29 November 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  56. ^ Smith, Stephen (6 August 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment - High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  57. ^ "Farewell from High Commissioner Brown" (PDF). No. 3. Australian Government. Australia News - High Commission Ottawa. November 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  58. ^ Rudd, Kevin (29 December 2011). "Diplomatic Appointment - High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  59. ^ Beaulne-Stuebing, Laura (14 January 2015). "Diplomatic Circles - Hand waves goodbye". Embassy News. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  60. ^ Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "High Commissioner to Canada". Australian Government. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  61. ^ Bishop, Julie (30 November 2017). "High Commissioner to Canada" (Press release). Australian Government.
  62. ^ "High Commissioner to Canada". Minister for Foreign Affairs/Minister for Women (Press release). Australian Government. 20 December 2021.
  63. ^ CA 4041: Australian Government Trade Commissioner, Toronto [Canada], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 June 2022
  64. ^ a b c "Official Statements - Australian Consulates-General". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 46 (8). Department of Foreign Affairs: 464. August 1975. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  65. ^ CA 4054: Australian Government Trade Commissioner, Vancouver [Canada], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 June 2022
  66. ^ CA 4059: Australian Government Trade Commissioner, Montreal [Canada], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 June 2022
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