The union that represents Canadian diplomats abroad says Global Affairs Canada should consider boosting compensation for those posted to the United States because they face increased risk of gun crime and difficulty accessing health care.
Pamela Isfeld, head of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, suggested that Ottawa’s appraisals of security threats aren’t as robust for the U.S. as they are for other countries.
Isfeld said Global Affairs Canada has faced “major problems” getting people to serve south of the border, and she says the department is chalking this up to the idea that diplomats might want more exotic postings.
He said the department should rectify issues in its insurance coverage, but it doesn’t owe diplomats extra pay for working in a country where Canadians regularly take vacations.
Norton was posted in Washington, Detroit and Chicago before taking on the role of protocol chief, a senior job that includes overseeing the security of foreign diplomatic missions within Canada.
Now a University of Waterloo professor, Norton said postings in the U.S. are unique in that the job overwhelmingly involves engaging with civil society and business leaders, instead of just “officialdom” in the national capital.
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