Bruce Irving Rankin, (1918 – July 28, 1986) was a Canadian diplomat.

Background

Born in

Brandon, Manitoba Brandon () is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the southwestern corner of the province on the banks of the Assiniboine River, approximately west of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and east of the ...

, Rankin was raised in Saskatchewan and received a B.Com. degree from the

University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...

in 1941 and studied at the National Defence College in Kingston. Rankin received an

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

from the

in 1983. After his retirement he lived in Aurora, Ontario. He had a wife, Mona and three daughters. Rankin is related to

Glen Shortliffe Glen Scott Shortliffe (November 12, 1937 – May 4, 2010) was a Canadian diplomat, civil servant, businessman, and Clerk of the Privy Council. Biography Born in Edmonton, Alberta, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of ...

, a former federal clerk of the Privy Council and a diplomat. Rankin served in the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...

in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and obtained the rank of

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

Foreign service

Rankin joined the foreign service in 1945. As a young commercial secretary for Canada in Shanghai, he was obliged to leave China in 1949 and successfully ran the Nationalist China blockade in a British vessel. Rankin later represented Canada in Australia, China, India, Spain and Switzerland. He was appointment ambassador to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic from 1964 to 1970, consul general to New York City from 1970 to 1976. Rankin was the Canadian representative on the

Economic and Social Council of the United Nations The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC; french: links=no, Conseil économique et social des Nations unies, ) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields ...

, and for the next six years Ambassador to the Economic and Financial Committee of the U.N. General Assembly, serving as chair in 1972. His diplomatic career was capped by his appointment as Ambassador to Japan from 1976 to 1981. During this period British Columbia's trade and economic relations with Japan increased dramatically through the establishment of such programmes as the North East Coal Project, one of the largest such developments in Canadian history. For his efforts, Rankin received the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...

in 1985. Unlike many diplomats Rankin often spoke out publicly on political questions during his 36-year career in the foreign service. For instance almost 20 years before Canada recognised China, he was speaking out about the advantages such a recognition would bring Canada.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19860731&id=sBUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DaYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4539,4548188&hl=en The Montreal Gazette - Jul 31, 1986

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rankin, Bruce 1918 births 1986 deaths People from Brandon, Manitoba University of Alberta alumni Ambassadors of Canada to Venezuela Officers of the Order of Canada Ambassadors of Canada to Japan

Background

Foreign service

See also

References