James Bartleman’s diplomatic career spanned 35 years and took him around the world to Columbia, the Caribbean Basin, Bangladesh, Brussels, Peru, and Israel, among others. In 1981, Bartleman became the ambassador to Cuba. In 1994 Bartleman became the foreign-policy advisor to the prime minister. From 2002 - 2007, Bartleman was the 27th Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario.
Starting with a brief two page account of his childhood which began on Christmas Eve 1939, this memoir quickly jumps into Bartleman’s years in the foreign service. After university, Bartleman accepted a position as a high school teacher. But he desired to be a foreign service officer and applied despite the odds (5,000 apply every year for the 15 jobs.) Bartleman was offered a position and departed for Ottawa in 1966.
Bartleman's Adventures
On Six Continents – A Life in Canada’s Foreign Service 1966 - 2002 does a superb job of supplying the readers with a complete picture of Bartleman’s adventures in the foreign service. Bartleman writes with a straightforward yet descriptive style with sections that read like an Ian Fleming novel. No words are wasted on flowery sentiment, a welcome change from many memoirs. He writes of racing toward the Ecuadorian border as a military coup was underway, “… sand drifts on the highway along Peru’s coastal desert were not as easy to plough through as snow drifts in Canada.”
The history course we receive while reading On Six Continents is refreshing. Occurrences that took place not long ago, relatively speaking, are brought back with clarity. “Trudeaumania,” in the early 1970’s was unlike anything seen since with Canada’s politicians. The invoking of the War Measures Act in 1970 was something I had forgotten.
The Cold War days played a unique role in our history. Names like Lester Pearson and Fidel Castro were discussed with intimacy. I was reminded of how strong our military presence was around the world until many factors, including the Diefenbaker government and Trudeau’s decision to decrease our forces in Europe by 50%, impacted us dramatically. This entertaining history lesson isn’t surprising as the author graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in Honours History.
The romantic in me would have preferred to read a bit more about Bartleman’s 30-year marriage. But he does deliver what he promised – an account of his years in the foreign service – and his book never claimed to be a Harlequin romance.
Bartleman's Future Plans
When I contacted Mr. Bartleman to ask about his future plans, he explained, “Since becoming Lieutenant Governor, my focus has been on mental health and Aboriginal issues and I expect my attention will continue to be devoted to these areas.” These social causes, His Honour explained, have interested him since childhood.
On Six Continents – A Life in Canada’s Foreign Service 1966 - 2002 by James Bartleman was published in 2004. Bartleman's other books include Rollercoaster: My Hectic Years as Jean Chretien's Diplomatic Advisor, 1994-1998, Out of Muskoka, and Raisin Wine: A Boyhood in a Different Muskoka. I can’t wait to pick up a copy of Bartleman's other books!
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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