Former Ambassador Gordon Giffin Still Popular in Canada

          Although no longer the U.S. ambassador to Canada, Gordon Giffin is still receiving accolades for his service there.

          Most recently, it was Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien who saluted Mr. Giffin, who currently is vice chairman and managing partner of the Washington office of Atlanta-based law firm Long Aldridge & Norman.

          Mr. Chretien was in Atlanta last week on a trade mission and acknowledged that one reason he came was to repay Mr. Giffin for successfully arranging a visit of former President Clinton to Canada.

          Meanwhile, Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) announced that Mr. Giffin, who accompanied the Canadian prime minister on his visit here, had agreed to join its board of directors.

          When asked by GlobalFax if he had joined any other Canadian boards, Mr. Giffin said that he had not. When asked why he had agreed to the CN’s offer, he replied that he readily accepted primarily because of his admiration for the company’s president and CEO, Paul Tellier.

          Mr. Tellier masterminded the expansion of the company to service the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans and the Gulf of Mexico.

          CN serves all of Canada and the U.S. Midwest, including the ports of Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver, and the cities of Chicago, Detroit and Toronto, with connections to all points in North America.

          Mr. Giffin was ambassador to Canada since 1997 until last month. He currently heads Long Aldridge & Norman’s international trade practice.

          For more information, call Gina Coleman at (404) 527-4000.