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'''Paul Earl Heinbecker''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (born 1941) is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] retired career [[diplomat]] and a former Canadian [[ambassador]] to [[Germany]] and permanent representative of Canada to the [[United Nations]] in [[New York City]]. He currently lives in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/order-canada-recipients-june-2022|title=Order of Canada appointees - June 2022 |date=21 June 2022 |access-date=2022-06-30}}</ref>

Heinbecker is married to Ayşe Köymen.  They have two daughters, Yasemin and Céline.

== Education and diplomatic career ==

Heinbecker earned an honours [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from Waterloo Lutheran University (now [[Wilfrid Laurier University]]) in 1965. He has honorary doctorates from Laurier and [[St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)|St. Thomas]] Universities.

Heinbecker joined the [[Department of External Affairs (Canada)|Department of External Affairs]] immediately after graduation; his postings abroad were in [[Ankara]], [[Stockholm]],  [[Paris]] and [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]].

From 1989 to 1992, Heinbecker served as Chief Foreign Policy Advisor and speechwriter for [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Brian Mulroney]], and as Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Foreign and Defence Policy.

In 1992, he was appointed ambassador to Germany.  In the Department of Foreign Affairs in the late 1990s, he was the senior official responsible for the development of the Canadian human security agenda.  He led the Canadian task forces on the [[Zaire]] and the [[Kosovo]] conflicts, participating in the diplomacy that ended the [[Kosovo war]].  He also served as chief negotiator of the [[Kyoto Protocol]] to the International Climate Change Convention.

In 2000, Heinbecker was appointed Canadian representative to the United Nations.  There he was a strong proponent of the [[International Criminal Court]] and argued for compromise to avoid the [[Iraq War of 2003]].

== Recent work ==

Heinbecker was a Distinguished Fellow at the [[Centre for International Governance Innovation]] and the inaugural director of the Centre for Global Relations at [[Wilfrid Laurier University]].

Heinbecker gained media attention in 2003 when he promoted a Canadian compromise at the United Nations which, if successful, would have obviated the Iraq war.  A frequent commenter on Canadian foreign policy, he is the author or editor of numerous articles and books. Heinbecker’s most recent book is entitled, “Getting Back in the Game”.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.heinbecker.ca/|title=Paul Heinbecker and Associates|website=www.heinbecker.ca|language=en|access-date=2017-10-23}}</ref> It has three components: Heinbecker’s history working as a Canadian Diplomat, an account of Canadian foreign policy, and the optimistic vision for Canadian foreign policy in the future.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2010/12/a-world-turned-upside-down/|title=A World Turned Upside Down {{!}} Literary Review of Canada|work=Literary Review of Canada|access-date=2017-10-23|language=en-US}}</ref> It promotes a future in which the government of Canada can take a stand and advocate for issues like climate change and the Middle East.<ref name=":0" /> He stresses in this novel the key role Canada plays in the rehabilitation of global governance.<ref name=":0" /> Heinbecker also edited a book alongside Patricia Goff entitled, "Irrelevant or Indispensable? The United Nations in the 21st Century".<ref name=":0" />

In 2005, he criticized fellow diplomat Franco Pillarella for the latter's claim that he was unaware that [[Maher Arar]] was being tortured in [[Syria]] or that torture was even practised there. {{ref|cbc20050616a}}

On October 12, 2010, [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)|Foreign Affairs Minister]] [[Lawrence Cannon]] said "Not being able to speak with one voice as a country had a negative impact on Canada's bid" for a seat in the [[United Nations Security Council]],{{ref|cbc20101012a}} with reference to [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] leader [[Michael Ignatieff]]'s comments, which included "I know how important it is for Canada to get a seat on the Security Council, but Canadians have to ask a tough question: 'Has this government earned that place?' We're not convinced it has."{{ref|cbc20101012a}}  On October 13, Heinbecker said that the failure to win a seat was the result of the government's policies, not of Ignatieff's criticism.{{ref|cbc20101013a}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{note|cbc20050616a}} [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sharp-rebuke-for-ambassador-over-arar-comments-1.550117 Sharp rebuke for ambassador at Arar inquiry], ''[[CBC News]]'', 16 June 2005
*{{note|cbc20101012a}} [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cannon-blames-ignatieff-for-canada-s-un-vote-loss-1.874121 Cannon blames Ignatieff for Canada's UN vote loss; Liberal leader refuses to accept blame], ''[[CBC News]]'', 12 October 2010
*{{note|cbc20101013a}} [https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/policy-cost-canada-un-seat-ex-ambassador-1.964330 Policy cost Canada UN seat: ex-ambassador], ''[[CBC News]]'', 13 October 2010
*{{C-SPAN|1004778}}

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{{succession box|
 before= [[Robert Fowler (diplomat)|Robert Fowler]]|
 title=[[List of Canadian ambassadors to the United Nations|Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations]]|
 after=[[Allan Rock]]|
 years=August 2000&ndash;January 2004
}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Heinbecker, Paul}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Waterloo, Ontario]]
[[Category:Wilfrid Laurier University alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Wilfrid Laurier University]]
[[Category:Permanent Representatives of Canada to the United Nations]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Canada to Germany]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Academics from Ottawa]]
[[Category:Civil servants from Ottawa]]