Donald W. Campbell, executive vice-president of CAE Inc., was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 2:00 p.m. ceremony on Tuesday, June 12, “in recognition of a distinguished career in foreign affairs and international trade.”
Known for his contribution to Canada’s prosperity through freer trade, Mr. Campbell first joined the foreign service in 1964. He served abroad during the 1960s and 1970s, and was ambassador to Korea in the 1980s and ta Japan in the 1990s.
In 1977, he helped Canada respond to the international energy crisis and, as assistant deputy minister of the United States branch at Foreign Affairs, he led Canada through difficult sectoral trade negotiations. Mr. Campbell was deeply involved with both the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
While ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1997, he raised Canada’s profile in that country and contributed to the growth of political, trade and economic relations between the two countries. In 1997, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and personal representative to the prime minister for the economic summits. By the time he joined CAE in 2000, Mr. Campbell had had a long and distinguished career with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.