Colin Robertson (diplomat)

Robertson was born in 1954 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors (First Class) from the University of Manitoba and then went on to complete his Masters in International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.{{cite web | url=http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/alumni/celebrated_alumni2004.html | title=Celebrated Alumni 2004 | publisher=University of Manitoba | accessdate=June 8, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018142359/http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/alumni/celebrated_alumni2004.html | archive-date=October 18, 2012 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://cualumni.carleton.ca/grads/robertson-colin/ | title=Colin Robertson , MA / 78 | publisher=Carleton University | accessdate=June 8, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216084833/http://cualumni.carleton.ca/grads/robertson-colin/ | archive-date=February 16, 2013 | url-status=dead }}

Robertson had a career in the Canadian foreign service spanning from 1977 to 2010. Over that time he served at Canada's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, as Vice Consul in the Canadian Consulate in New York City and as Counsellor and Consul in the Canadian Commission (now Consulate General) in Hong Kong.{{cite web | url=http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?crtr.sj1D=&mthd=advSrch&crtr.mnthndVl=&nid=83969&crtr.dpt1D=&crtr.tp1D=&crtr.lc1D=&crtr.yrStrtVl=&crtr.kw=citizenship&crtr.dyStrtVl=&crtr.aud1D=&crtr.mnthStrtVl=&crtr.yrndVl=&crtr.dyndVl= | title=Prime Minister announces details of secretariat at Washington embassy | publisher=Government of Canada | work=Canada News Centre | date=April 29, 2004 | accessdate=June 8, 2013}}

He served as Consul General in Los Angeles from 2000-2004{{cite web | url=http://www.international.gc.ca/department/history-histoire/cglSearch_results-en.asp?frm=search&showNotes=1 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615210209/http://www.international.gc.ca/department/history-histoire/cglSearch_results-en.asp?frm=search&showNotes=1 | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 15, 2013 | title=Consuls General 1943 - 2001 | publisher=Government of Canada | work=Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada | accessdate=June 8, 2013 }} where he was responsible for the American Southwest was appointed as the first head of the Advocacy Secretary and Minister at the Canadian Embassy in Washington. Mr Robertson worked in the Trade Negotiations Office during the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement negotiations and later was a member of the NAFTA Implementation Team. Mr. Robertson also held executive positions at Citizenship and Immigration, the Treasury Board Secretariat and with Petro-Canada International Assistance Corporation.

In his final assignment, Robertson directed a project at Carleton University's Centre for Trade Policy and Law with the support of the federal and provincial governments as well as the private sector on Canada-US Engagement.{{cite web | url=http://www.ctpl.ca/regions/north-america/canada-us-project-npsia-ctpl | title=CANADA-US PROJECT (NPSIA-CTPL) | publisher=Centre for Trade Policy and Law | work=ctpl.ca | accessdate=June 8, 2013 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615210435/http://www.ctpl.ca/regions/north-america/canada-us-project-npsia-ctpl | archive-date=June 15, 2013 | url-status=dead }}

Robertson is currently a senior strategic advisor for McKenna, Long and Aldridge LLP where he focuses his practice on U.S.–Canada government relations and advising clients on policy issues that involve perspectives from both sides of the border.{{cite web|url=http://www.mckennalong.com/professionals-1278.html |title=Colin Robertson: McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP |publisher=Mckennalong.com |date= |accessdate=2013-06-11}} He is the vice president and a senior research fellow at the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute{{cite web |url=http://www.cdfai.org/distinguishedfellows.htm#Robertson |title=Distinguished Research Fellows |publisher=CDFAI |accessdate=2013-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030173220/http://www.cdfai.org/distinguishedfellows.htm#Robertson |archive-date=2013-10-30 |url-status=dead }} based out of the institute's Ottawa office. He appears regularly on CBC,{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/ID/2339770181/ |title=U.S. sequester's ripple effect - Politics - CBC Player |publisher=Cbc.ca |date=2013-03-01 |accessdate=2013-06-11}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/Power+%26+Politics+with+Evan+Solomon/ID/2327689252/ |title=Power and Politics with Evan Solomon - Power and Politics - CBC Player |publisher=Cbc.ca |date=2013-01-21 |accessdate=2013-06-11}} CTV{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=908457 |title=CTV News | News Video - Top National News Headlines - News Videos |publisher=Ctvnews.ca |date= |accessdate=2013-06-11}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=870128 |title=CTV News | News Video - Top National News Headlines - News Videos |publisher=Ctvnews.ca |date= |accessdate=2013-06-11}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=864056 |title=CTV News | News Video - Top National News Headlines - News Videos |publisher=Ctvnews.ca |date= |accessdate=2013-06-11}} and Global{{cite web|author=|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/461347/its-time-for-canada-to-join-ballistic-missile-defence-former-diplomat/ |title=It's time for Canada to join ballistic missile defence: former diplomat |publisher=Globalnews.ca |date=2013-04-07 |accessdate=2013-06-11}} to comment on international affairs, and is a regular contributor to iPolitics and The Globe and Mail.{{cite web|url=http://www.ipolitics.ca/author/robcolin/ |title=Colin Robertson | iPolitics |publisher=Ipolitics.ca |date= |accessdate=2013-06-11}}{{cite web|author=Colin Robertson |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/a-border-crossing-fee-is-exactly-what-the-us-and-canada-do-not-need/article11517416/#dashboard/follows/ |title=A border-crossing fee is exactly what the U.S. and Canada do not need |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=2013-04-24 |accessdate=2013-06-11}}{{cite web|author=Colin Robertson |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/north-koreas-threats-show-that-canada-needs-to-be-part-of-us-missile-defence-pact/article10713612/#dashboard/follows/ |title=North Korea's threats show that Canada needs to be part of U.S. missile defence pact |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=2013-04-03 |accessdate=2013-06-11}}{{cite web|author=Colin Robertson |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/obama-talks-what-canadians-should-listen-for/article8482503/#dashboard/follows/ |title=Obama talks: What Canadians should listen for |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=2013-02-12 |accessdate=2013-06-11}} He also works with the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

He served as president of the Historica Foundation from 2006-2007 and is the honorary chair of the Canada Arizona Business Council. He is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy. Robertson sits on the boards of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute and of Canada World Youth, where he is the vice chair.{{cite web | url=http://www.canaz.net/about/board-directors.php | title=Board of Directors | publisher=Canada Arizona Business Council | accessdate=June 6, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209013838/http://www.canaz.net/about/board-directors.php | archive-date=December 9, 2013 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.pacificcouncil.org/membersinthenews? | title=Members - in the News | publisher=Pacific Council on International Policy | accessdate=June 6, 2013}}{{cite web | url=http://www.cdainstitute.ca/en/about-us/board-of-directors#Robertson | title=Board of Directors | publisher=Conference of Defence Associations Institute | accessdate=June 8, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328173242/http://www.cdainstitute.ca/en/about-us/board-of-directors#Robertson | archive-date=March 28, 2013 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://canadaworldyouth.org/about/meet-the-team/board-of-directors/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102051658/http://canadaworldyouth.org/about/meet-the-team/board-of-directors/ | url-status=usurped | archive-date=January 2, 2014 | title=Board of Directors | publisher=Canada World Youth | accessdate=2013-06-08}}

He is also the former president and executive member of the National Capital Branch of the Canadian International Council.{{cite web |author=CIC National Capital Branch |url=http://opencanada.org/news/ottawa-news/presidents-report-2010-2011/ |title=President's Report 2010-2011 » CIC |publisher=Opencanada.org |date=2011-06-14 |accessdate=2013-06-11 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615210411/http://opencanada.org/news/ottawa-news/presidents-report-2010-2011/ |archive-date=2013-06-15 |url-status=dead }}

He was editor of bout de papier - Canada's Magazine of Diplomacy and Foreign Service] and president of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers.

He is a distinguished senior fellow at NPSIA, former member of Carleton's President's Advisory Council and a current member of the NPSIA Advisory Council.{{cite web |url=http://www1.carleton.ca/npsia/colin-robertson/ |title=Colin Robertson - The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs |publisher=.carleton.ca |accessdate=2013-06-11 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615210318/http://www1.carleton.ca/npsia/colin-robertson/ |archive-date=2013-06-15 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www1.carleton.ca/npsia/distinguished-advisory-council/ |title=Distinguished Advisory Council - The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs |publisher=.carleton.ca |accessdate=2013-06-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614202650/http://www1.carleton.ca/npsia/distinguished-advisory-council/ |archivedate=2013-06-14 }}

He was named in Embassy Magazine 2012 edition of the "Top 80 Influencing Canada Foreign Policy".{{cite web |author=The Hill Times |url=http://www.embassynews.ca/top-80-influencers/2013/03/05/the-top-80-influencing-canadian-foreign-policy/43401 |title=The top 80 influencing Canadian foreign policy | Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper |publisher=Embassynews.ca |date=2013-03-13 |accessdate=2013-06-11 |archive-date=2013-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308081758/http://www.embassynews.ca/top-80-influencers/2013/03/05/the-top-80-influencing-canadian-foreign-policy/43401 |url-status=dead }}

He is an Honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy assigned to the Strategic Communications Directorate.{{cite web | url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&id=3624 | title=Navy Welcomes Mr. Colin Robertson As The Newest Honorary Naval CaptainNavy Welcomes Mr. Colin Robertson As The Newest Honorary Naval Captain | publisher=National Defence and the Canadian Forces | date=October 25, 2010 | accessdate=June 6, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905041207/http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&id=3624 | archive-date=September 5, 2012 | url-status=dead }} The Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association awarded him with the 'Friend of the Industry' in 2004 for his work in promoting Alberta's film industry.{{cite web|url=http://ampia.org/awards/friend-of-the-industry-award/ |title=Friend of the Industry Award |publisher=AMPIA |date=1965-08-19 |accessdate=2013-06-11}} Robertson was given the "Hot Potato Award" for helping to increase collaboration between U.S. and Canada organizations and stakeholders at the 2012 Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Summit.{{cite web|url=http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs086/1101390444140/archive/1110485959086.html |title=Canadian former diplomat recognized for promoting regional U.S.-Canada collaboration |publisher=Archive.constantcontact.com |date=2012-07-16 |accessdate=2013-06-11}} Also in 2012, Robertson was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=208052&t=13&ln=Robertson|title = Recipients|date = 11 June 2018}}

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Category:1954 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Winnipeg

Category:Canadian diplomats

Category:University of Manitoba alumni

Category:Carleton University alumni