Georges Rioux
Encyclopedia
Georges Rioux has been a Canadian diplomat
. Appointed on August 14, 2006, as the Consul General in Chicago, Illinois
, United States
he represented interests in the region including Illinois
, Missouri
and Wisconsin
.
On August 22, 2011, Rioux was appointed Vice-President Corporate Affairs at the Canada Border Services Agency
Rioux entered the Public Service of Canada in 1982. He was appointed by Foreign Affairs Canada to Washington, D.C.
in 1983 and reassigned to Saudi Arabia
in 1985 staying there for two years. He returned to Ottawa
and was appointed to the media relations office of Foreign Affairs. He was the legislative assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for another two years. Rioux was then returned to Washington, D.C. where he held numerous positions including spokesperson for the Embassy. In 1998, Rioux joined the Department of National Defence
as Director General of Public Affairs making him responsible for leading national communications for DND and the Canadian Forces
and advising the Minister, Deputy Minister and Chief of the Defence Staff
. Rioux was then appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Affairs, in June 2003. Later that year, in November 2003, Rioux joined the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat in the role of Assistant Secretary. He was responsible for government communications in public sector
management.
.
, Rioux was contacted by senior economic advisor to Obama, Austan Goolsbee
, in an attempt to downplay Obama's anti-North American Free Trade Agreement
message. The Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and Obama's campaign
managers denied the report.
. The controversy made Canadian news headlines, but barely made news in the United States.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. Appointed on August 14, 2006, as the Consul General in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
he represented interests in the region including Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
On August 22, 2011, Rioux was appointed Vice-President Corporate Affairs at the Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Border Services Agency
The Canada Border Services Agency is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border enforcement, immigration enforcement and customs services....
Rioux entered the Public Service of Canada in 1982. He was appointed by Foreign Affairs Canada to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1983 and reassigned to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in 1985 staying there for two years. He returned to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and was appointed to the media relations office of Foreign Affairs. He was the legislative assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for another two years. Rioux was then returned to Washington, D.C. where he held numerous positions including spokesperson for the Embassy. In 1998, Rioux joined the Department of National Defence
Department of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
as Director General of Public Affairs making him responsible for leading national communications for DND and the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
and advising the Minister, Deputy Minister and Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...
. Rioux was then appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Affairs, in June 2003. Later that year, in November 2003, Rioux joined the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat in the role of Assistant Secretary. He was responsible for government communications in public sector
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
management.
.
Barack Obama NAFTA controversy
Prior to the 2008 U.S. presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Rioux was contacted by senior economic advisor to Obama, Austan Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee
Austan Dean Goolsbee is an American economist, formerly serving as the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers and the youngest member of the cabinet of President Barack Obama. Goolsbee is from the University of Chicago where he is the Robert P...
, in an attempt to downplay Obama's anti-North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
message. The Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and Obama's campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
managers denied the report.
. The controversy made Canadian news headlines, but barely made news in the United States.