This sub-series, consisting of working files used and created by Ivan Head during his tenure with the PMO, illustrates the continuity of Ivan Head's involvement in international affairs.
They provide good insight into Head's role in relation to the Prime Minister and the policy-making process. These files contain a mixture of documents, for example: correspondence; memos to the Prime Minister, government officials and/or PMO staff; drafts of speeches; summaries of meetings with foreign government officials, the Prime Minister's staff, and Cabinet meetings; briefing notes and information for trips and conferences; notes on issues of ongoing importance such as, defence and economic development.
Ivan Head occupied the following positions in the PMO:
1968 Legislative Assistant
1970 (Winter) Special Assistant
1970 (Spring) Legislative Assistant
1971-1974 Special Assistant
1975-1976 Assistant Principal Secretary (International Relations)
1976 (April)-1977) Senior Advisor (International Relations)
1978 Left the PMO
Ivan Head's specialty within the PMO was international relations. Although the title of Ivan Head's position reflects the area of his special expertise -- international relations -- only from 1975, he had been involved in this policy area from a much earlier date.
The files have been arranged into the following blocks:
Correspondence Files
The Correspondence Files consist of correspondence to and from heads of government and concern a variety of topics not necessarily related to proposed or upcoming visits. This correspondence, largely directed to or from Ivan Head, underscores the importance of his role in the PMO since he communicated directly with such VIP's as President Nixon (1971) and Prime Minister Gandhi (1971).
Subject Files
The Subject Files are a very rich correspondence collection. They consist of Ivan Head's own correspondence, copies of memos between Head and the Prime Minister, some reference material, and some copies of the Prime Minister's correspondence which Head had kept on file for reference.
The content is a mixture of personal and professional. There is Head's correspondence on issues in which he was involved independent of the Prime Minister, (such as International Commission of Jurists, or Requests to Read and Comment on Papers; administrative documents (such as: Invitations to Mr. Head and the Prime Minister - Statements and Press Releases); and finally more political issues (such as Moscow Summit - Vietnam; United Nations; and Meetings with Heads of Missions).
Unfiled Correspondence Files
This group of files includes the general and personal correspondence of Ivan Head. Some of this correspondence, as indicated by a note, was to be sent from Head's office to Shirley Codere's office (Head of Correspondence Division). This correspondence, which was never interfiled within the General Correspondence, was kept as a grouping within this sub-series.
Visits and Trips Files
It is evident from these files that the PMO through Ivan Head worked closely with the Dept. of External Affairs in the planning of Prime Ministerial visits and trips. The correspondence between Head and External Affairs includes such topics as: the Canadian position on issues of international importance; background information on countries which the PMO had proposed a visit and the advisability of such a visit; background information on dignitaries whose Governments had approached Canada about a possible visit and the advisability of such a visit; and consultation on the Prime Minister's travel plans in general. This subseries consists of materials which are unique to Ivan Head, even though similar documents might be found in other series, such as the Planning Office Series or the Staff sub-series of Joyce Fairbairn.
