OTTAWA – The union representing Canadian diplomats says too much bureaucracy keeps the government from making sure diplomatic and embassy staff stationed overseas are kept safe.
Federal auditor general Michael Ferguson reported this week that security at Global Affairs Canada’s embassies and missions abroad has “significant” failings that need immediate attention.
Pamela Isfeld of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers says staff in foreign missions face a wide and fluid range of risks to their personal safety and deserve to be protected.
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She says the concerns highlighted by the AG are not new, but that complicated bureaucratic policies and practices within the department often get in the way of security improvements.
Gar Pardy, a retired Canadian diplomat who served in Central America, echoed these concerns, saying management at Global Affairs has long been too slow to respond to the shifting security landscape.
In his audit, the AG found concerns had previously been raised about many of the security problems he uncovered, but recommended steps to address these deficiencies hadn’t been followed.