Article

Edgar Ritchie

Published Online December 2, 2007

Last Edited December 16, 2013

Albert Edgar Ritchie, diplomat (b at Andover, NB 20 Dec 1916). A Rhodes scholar who worked for the British government and United Nations in the 1940s, Ritchie was a member of the Department of External Affairs (now FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE), 1944-46, 1948-80.

Ritchie, Albert Edgar

Albert Edgar Ritchie, diplomat (b at Andover, NB 20 Dec 1916). A Rhodes scholar who worked for the British government and United Nations in the 1940s, Ritchie was a member of the Department of External Affairs (now FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE), 1944-46, 1948-80. His expertise was economics, his judgement and integrity impeccable. He was assistant undersecretary, 1959-64, and deputy undersecretary, 1964-66, before serving in the department's 2 top posts: as ambassador to Washington 1966-69 and as undersecretary 1970-74. A Companion of the Order of Canada, he was ambassador to Ireland 1976-82, after which he retired from public life.