Yves Gagnon
Encyclopedia
Yves M. Gagnon is a Canadian diplomat and businessman. During his career at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, he was the ambassador to Morocco
, Venezuela
and the Dominican Republic
, and Argentina
and Paraguay
.
in 1947. He was the fourth of ten children of Georges-Henri Gagnon (1920–2009) and Alma Tremblay (born 1919). His father served in World War II
and was later an inventor, builder, professor
, and sculptor. His mother was a professor and entrepreneur. She also served on Canada's National Advisor Board on Social Affairs, the board of Baie-Comeau's Regional Hospital, and Forestville's
Local Center for Social Service.
and economics
at Laval University
in Quebec City
. He attended graduate school at the National Management School
in Paris
, France
.
and Lucien Bouchard
.
From 1988 to 1991, Gagnon was Vice President of the Petro-Canada International Assistance Corporation.
He served as ambassador from Canada to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic from 1995 to 1998, ambassador from Canada to Morocco from 2001 to 2004, and ambassador from Canada to Argentina and Paraguay from 2004 to 2007.
Throughout his career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Gagnon also worked in Guatemala
and France
. He also served as the department's director of the Media Relation Office for four years.
Gagnon represented Canada at the Bureau of International Expositions
.
He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Canada-USA Fulbright Foundation and of the Association for the Export of Canadian Books. He was the Chairperson of three bi-national Chambers of Commerce.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Early life and family
Gagnon was born in Saint-Urbain, QuebecSaint-Urbain, Quebec
Saint-Urbain is a parish municipality in Quebec, Canada, located in the Capitale-Nationale region.The municipality lies along Quebec Route 381 at the intersection with Quebec Route 138.-History:...
in 1947. He was the fourth of ten children of Georges-Henri Gagnon (1920–2009) and Alma Tremblay (born 1919). His father served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was later an inventor, builder, professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, and sculptor. His mother was a professor and entrepreneur. She also served on Canada's National Advisor Board on Social Affairs, the board of Baie-Comeau's Regional Hospital, and Forestville's
Forestville, Quebec
Forestville is a town in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River along Route 138, approximately southwest of Baie-Comeau. There is a vehicle and passenger ferry service from Forestville to Rimouski, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence...
Local Center for Social Service.
Education
Gagnon studied political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Laval University
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. He attended graduate school at the National Management School
École nationale d'administration
The École Nationale d'Administration , one of the most prestigious of French graduate schools , was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle to democratise access to the senior civil service. It is now entrusted with the selection and initial training of senior French officials...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Career
Early in his career, Gagnon was an assistant to Gérard PelletierGérard Pelletier
Gérard Pelletier, PC, CC worked as a journalist for Le Devoir, a French-language newspaper in Montreal, Quebec. In 1961 he became editor-in-chief of the Montreal daily and North America's largest French circulating newspaper, La Presse...
and Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
.
From 1988 to 1991, Gagnon was Vice President of the Petro-Canada International Assistance Corporation.
He served as ambassador from Canada to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic from 1995 to 1998, ambassador from Canada to Morocco from 2001 to 2004, and ambassador from Canada to Argentina and Paraguay from 2004 to 2007.
Throughout his career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Gagnon also worked in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He also served as the department's director of the Media Relation Office for four years.
Gagnon represented Canada at the Bureau of International Expositions
Bureau of International Expositions
The International Exhibitions Bureau is an intergovernmental organization created to supervise international exhibitions falling under the jurisdiction of the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions....
.
He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Canada-USA Fulbright Foundation and of the Association for the Export of Canadian Books. He was the Chairperson of three bi-national Chambers of Commerce.