Queen’s University diplomatic relations expert and former Canadian ambassador Louis Delvoie is available to talk about plans to have Britain and Canada share embassies.

The move is seen as a way to cut costs but Mr. Delvoie – a fellow in the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University – feels this is a step back for a country that is trying claim its own identity.

“This is a dumb idea. There are many parts of the world where it’s best not to be identified with Britain, such as in the Caribbean and Africa where Britain was a colonial power. It can also be a threat – in some countries Britain isn’t very popular. The British embassy in Iran was attacked last year – if it was a joint embassy, our Canadian diplomats would have been in danger. If you want to save money, shut down the less-important embassies in countries where Canada has limited interests,” said Mr. Delvoie, a career diplomat who served as the Canadian ambassador to Algeria.

Please note on Monday, September 24, Mr. Delvoie is available after 3 pm and only available for phone itnerviews.

To arrange an interview, please contact communication officers Michael Onesi at 613.533.6000 ext. 77513 ormichael.onesi@queensu.ca or Anne Craig at 613-533-2877 or anne.craig@queensu.ca at Queen’s University News and Media Services Department in Kingston, Ont., Canada.

Follow Queen’s News and Media Services on Twitter: http://twitter.com/QueensuMedia.