Laurier alum Paul Heinbecker (BA ’65, LLD ’93), a retired career diplomat and Canada’s former ambassador to the United Nations, was recently appointed as a member of the Order of Canada. Heinbecker was honoured for his significant contributions as a diplomat and visionary leadership in the development of Canada’s foreign policy.
“Paul's exceptional contributions to Canadian diplomacy make him a deserving recipient of this national recognition,” said Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy. “Paul served with distinction in his many diplomatic positions and his work served to grow Canada’s reputation on the international stage.”
The Order of Canada is one of Canada’s highest civilian honours, recognizing outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation. Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.
Heinbecker, a paragon of Canadian diplomacy, was a key architect of Canada’s human security agenda, which put people at the heart of international relations. As Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, he led diplomatic efforts against the Iraq War of 2003 and counselled against Canadian participation. Earlier, he was Canada’s chief negotiator of the Kyoto Protocol linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In retirement, he co-founded the World Refugee and Migration Council to respond to the global refugee crisis.
Heinbecker studied English and History at Laurier’s predecessor, Waterloo Lutheran University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Laurier in 1993, named Alum of the Year in 2003, and among the university’s 100 Alumni of Achievement on the occasion of Laurier’s centennial in 2011. Among his many contributions to the university, Heinbecker served as the inaugural director of the Laurier Centre for Global Relations.
Heinbecker is also the author, editor and co-editor of numerous articles, book chapters and books, including Getting Back in the Game: A Foreign Policy Handbook for Canada (Dundurn Press, 2011), Canada and the Middle East: In Theory and Practice (WLU Press, 2007), and Irrelevant or Indispensable? The United Nations in the Twenty-first Century (WLU Press, 2005).
Heinbecker, who resides in Ottawa, was invested as a member of the Order of Canada during a ceremony in October.
We see you are accessing our website on IE8. We recommend you view in Chrome, Safari, Firefox or IE9+ instead.
×