Jan 22, 2024 - 09:45
By cbc.ca

Union head says higher pay may be needed to encourage diplomats to work in a key country: the U.S.

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.

«If you were talking about a post in Africa where you had had half a dozen lockdowns because of active shooters in the last year, that would go into the security assessment of that post,» she said.

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.

That's a misunderstanding of the situation, Isfeld said, noting the federal government often emphasizes the importance of the Canada-U.S. relationship and the necessity of having top performers on diplomatic missions there.

«And yet there's very little support,» she said.

Global Affairs Canada did not provide a response when asked early last week whether it has difficulty filling these postings or wished to address Isfeld's comments.

Canadian diplomats are posted to the embassy in Washington, D.C., along with consulates and trade offices spread across 15 other cities, from Boston to Los Angeles and Minneapolis to Houston.

Isfeld said the alleged shortfall in staffing U.S. missions comes partly as a result of compensation that doesn't reflect the risks and inconveniences of living in America.