Canada Day and farewell to the Canadian High Commissioner, HE Ms Sandelle
Scrimshaw, Marimba Restaurant, International Convention Centre, Cape Town
1 July 2006
Your Excellency High Commissioner Scrimshaw,
Ambassadors and high commissioners,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Distinguished guests
I am delighted to be here this afternoon to represent the South African
government in congratulating Canada and her distinguished representatives in
South Africa at the celebration of Canada Day.
Your country is 139 years old and ours as a democracy is only 12. Despite
this age difference we have much in common as the High Commissioner has said.
We are both proud of our democracies and of our people, of our respective
cultures and heritage. We are also proud of our friendship.
Canada has been a good friend to South Africa through the struggle years and
in our new democracy. We have received support from Canada's Community and
Individual Development Association (CIDA) in a number of ways particularly in
skills development programmes and in building capacity in many areas, including
in our foreign service.
We co-operate as countries in international forums and in many other areas
such as cultural exchanges and in our people-to-people contacts.
We are grateful for our friendship with your country and look forward to
developing this friendship and deepening it.
But today is not only a celebration of this friendship but the friendship we
have developed with Sandelle. It is sad that we must say farewell to her after
three short years here.
Sandelle was one of the first heads of mission that I met when I was
appointed in this post and I can scarcely believe it is time for her to leave.
We have become friends and I am very sad to see her leave.
I understand that she will be taking on a very challenging new position in
the Canadian diplomatic corps and we wish her well in this new job. You have
served Canada here in South Africa with distinction and you will be a loss to
the diplomatic corps here.
Ladies and gentlemen, Sandelle is one of what appears to be a diminishing
corps of women heads of mission in South Africa. I would like to give notice
that I will shortly be issuing a decree that from now on only women will be
accepted to replace women in positions of Ambassador and High Commissioner in
South Africa! This decree will of course I have not doubt be sanctioned by our
President and Deputy President.
I think it is fair to say that the women who represent their countries here
in South Africa have shown exceptional ability and professionalism. Graca
Machel, in an interview said:
"If we have intelligence, imagination and the ability to dream things can
happen."
With the intelligence, the imagination and the ability to dream I think
things have happened. Sandelle has shown this in her work here.
High Commissioner, we regard you as a friend of South Africa and know that
you will represent us too in your new posting.
We look forward to welcoming you back here to South Africa soon.
Thank you for your friendship and the charm and grace that you have brought
to the diplomatic corps in South Africa.
Two toasts:
To the government and people of Canada and the friendship between our two
countries. Bon faite du Canada.
To the High Commissioner, farewell and best wishes for your future.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
1 July 2006
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (http://www.dfa.gov.za/)
