Series consists of two groups of records. The first group deals with personnel related matters dating from soon after the creation of the department until 1963. These files are concerned with the organization and the establishment of posts abroad; including recruitment of women as foreign service officers, recruitment of French speaking officers, establishments and general subject files. Also included are files on personnel related matters at headquarters including staffing, organization of the department, recruitment for the Foreign Service Office (FSO) category and other general personnel matters. (Vols. 659-688, 2489-2490)
The second group of files deals with the posting of Foreign Service Officers (FSO's) between 1976 and 1982 with major emphasis on 1978. Included are descriptions of responsibilities of FSO's officers while serving at various Canadian Missions abroad as well as memoranda originating from the Department of External Affairs in Ottawa explaining the redistribution of senior management responsibilities which occurred in 1978.
Canada. Dept. of External Affairs. Personnel Branch : The Personnel Division was established in January 1947 as part of a reorganization of headquarters divisions. The division was responsible for the general administration of personnel affairs including the training and posting of staff at home and abroad, duties previously held by the Administrative Branch. Personnel records were reorganized in 1949 when a new system of documentation was introduced. This reorganization was accompanied by an increase in the division's officer staff. In 1964, the Personnel Division was divided into Personnel Operations and Personnel Services. Personnel Operations was responsible for promotions, postings, assignments, transfers, career planning, separations, recruitment and training, and selection. Personnel Services handled establishment, employment, research, and staff services. Both new divisions were headed by a foreign service officer. In April 1968, Personnel Branch was formed and consisted of three divisions: Personnel Operations, Staff Relations and Compensation, and Personnel Planning and Development. Personnel Operations dealt with recruitment, selection, promotion, and assignments; Staff Relations and Compensation handled matters relating to pay and allowances; and Personnel Planning and Development was responsible for manpower planning and training. RG25 General Inventory and John Hilliker and Donald Barry, "Canada's Department of External Affairs: Volume 2, Coming of Age, 1946-1968", Montreal & Kingston, McGill-Queen's University Press, 1995, pp. 12, 50, 298-299, 301, 315.
