Simon Reisman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Simon Reisman | |
| Born | June 19, 1919 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
|---|---|
| Died | March 9, 2008 (aged 88) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Civil Servant |
| Known for | Negotiator for the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement |
Sol Simon Reisman (June 19, 1919 – March 9, 2008[1]) was a Canadian civil servant, and the country's chief negotiator for the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Kolman and Manya Reisman, Reisman graduated from Baron Byng High School[1] before receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science in 1941 and a Master of Arts degree in 1942 from McGill University.[2] He was a veteran of the Second World War, having served in Italy, Holland and Germany with the Royal Canadian Artillery.[3] After the war, he studied at the London School of Economics.[3]
In 1946, he entered into public service joining the Department of Labour. Reisman was a member of Canada's delegation to the inaugural session of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in the late 1940s.[3] He made major contributions toward the drafting of the Canada-U.S. Auto Pact.[4] Reisman rose to senior positions in the public service, including deputy minister in the Department of Finance and the Department of Industry before retiring in 1975.[3] Following the election of Brian Mulroney, Reisman sent the new prime minister a memo advocating free trade negotiations with the United States.[3] Mulroney accepted Reisman's plan and, in 1985, tapped him to lead Canada's trade negotiations with the United States.[3]
Reisman was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1978[5] and the Outstanding Public Service Award in 1974.[3]
He was married to Constance Carin for 65 years. They had four children.[1]
He died in his sleep in Ottawa, Ontario in 2008. His funeral service is scheduled to be held at Ottawa's Temple Israel.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Death notice. Montreal Gazette.
- ^ Canadian Who's Who. University of Toronto Press.
- ^ a b c d e f g Greenway, Norma (2008-03-10). Tough-talking former trade negotiator Simon Reisman dies. CanWest News Service. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
- ^ Simon Reisman Obituary
- ^ Order of Canada citation.
