Woman with Pictou County roots named Asian ambassador
Donica Pottie, who spent some of her early years in Stellarton and New Glasgow, has been named Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. She will also be Canada’s representative to the Kingdom of Cambodia, and the Lao Democratic People’s Republic.
The position is one of the diplomatic appointments announced Tuesday, by Stéphane Dion, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
A graduate of Park View Education Centre in Bridgewater (1980) and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax (1985), she joined Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1991 and served abroad in Beijing and Amman, and as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
In Ottawa, she served in a variety of senior assignments, including as Director of Democracy and Governance, Director of Development Policy and International Financial Institutions, and Director of Fragile States and Peace Operations Policy. She is currently the Director-General of Consular Operations.
While living in Pictou County, she attended G.R. Saunders Elementary, Thorburn Consolidated and A.G. Baillie Memorial School.
While she isn’t able to do an interview until she officially assumes the position, she said on Facebook: “Very happy to be returning to Southeast Asia as Canada’s Ambassador to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. I’m looking forward to connecting with all friends, the challenge of a new job, and working with my new colleagues. Very glad, too, that I’m taking over from Phil Calvert; I know I’m taking over from someone really exceptional.”