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VANCOUVER - Author Denise Chong has been appointed Canada's representative to the international Board of Governors of the Vancouver-based Commonwealth of Learning. She was named by international cooperation minister, The Honourable Maria Minna (Canadian International Development Agency).
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), created by Commonwealth Heads of Government during their meeting in Vancouver in 1987, assists the countries of the 54-member Commonwealth to draw on open and distance learning to expand access to education and training. It is the only official Commonwealth agency located outside Britain. As one of the six major financial contributors, Canada is entitled to a seat on the Board. British Columbia, the host province, is also a major governmental supporter.
The Chair of the Board, also a Canadian and former York University president, H. Ian Macdonald, welcomed the appointment. "We are fortunate that Ms. Chong has agreed to the Government's request that she join COL's Board. Her experience and insights will ably represent Canadians and also benefit the millions of citizens in the developing world that COL seeks to help by improving their access to quality education and a better future."
Chong, a former senior economic advisor to prime minister Pierre Trudeau, has served in several advisory capacities to the federal government. She sits on an advisory committee to the clerk of the privy council of Canada on modernizing human resource management in the public service. She also served on the Perinbam task force on participation of visible minorities in the public service, and was an advisor on the federal information highway advisory council.
An internationally published author, she is best known for her family memoir, The Concubine's Children. Her most recent book is The Girl in the Picture, about the napalm victim photographed during the Vietnam War. Chong was also a contributor to the anthology, Who Speaks for Canada? Words that shape a country. Born in Vancouver, she now lives in Ottawa with her husband and their two children.
The Commonwealth of Learning's staff is drawn from throughout the Commonwealth, including Canada. Its President and Chief Executive Officer is Gajaraj Dhanarajan, a Malaysian citizen.
The COL Board of Governors next meets later this month in New Delhi.
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