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Documents on Canadian External Relations
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Volume #14 - 1124. | |
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CHAPTER XIV LATIN AMERICA AND ANTARCTICA | |
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PART
2 BRAZIL | |
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1124. |
DEA/2216-Y-40 |
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Extract from Memorandum from Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs to Prime Minister | |
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SECRET |
Ottawa,
April 22nd, 1948 |
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APPOINTMENT OF CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO BRAZIL | |
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In view of the fact that the Governor General will be arriving in Brazil on June 11 and of the necessity of having a Canadian Ambassador established there before the Governor General arrives we have, as you know, been canvassing various possibilities. We have not, however, been able to find a suitably qualified person outside the service who would be willing or able to accept the appointment at short notice. 2. It has therefore occurred to me that you may wish to consider appointing Mr. Scott Macdonald, our present High Commissioner in Newfoundland, as Ambassador to Brazil. Mr. Macdonald has done an excellent job in Newfoundland and deserves promotion. He has been immersed in Newfoundland affairs for some time now and it would be good for him to have a complete change of scene and work. 3. His absence from Newfoundland in the period immediately preceding the plebiscite would have certain advantages since it would help to demonstrate our good faith in saying that we have no desire to interfere in the choice which the people of Newfoundland must make. 4. Mr. Macdonald, I think, would make a first-class Ambassador to Brazil. French is still, I understand, the second language of Brazil and Mr. Macdonald served at our Legation in Paris before the war and speaks French fluently. He and his wife would also be good at doing the entertaining which is so necessary in Brazil. He would also be a good reporter and that would be useful since the Brazilian Foreign ffice is very well informed and Brazil is much the most important country in Latin America.1 5. I enclose a short biographical note on Mr. Macdonald. † L.B. PEARSON 1Note marginale :/Marginal note: | |
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