Derrick John Haro

Derrick John Haro (March 3, 1953 – May 20, 1993) was a Canadian diplomat and academic. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Derrick John Haro grew up in Victoria, British Columbia. He attended the University of Victoria, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration, 1981. During his undergraduate years, he taught English Literature at summer sessions in Europe (Germany, France, and the former Yugoslav). Upon graduation from his Masters degree, in 1982, he was engaged as a summer Research Assistant to the Ministry of Finance, working at the Comptroller General’s Office in Victoria BC. By September of the same year, he was recruited by the Department of External Affairs Canada, and relocated to Ottawa ON. Consequently Derrick became a career diplomat, and in 1984 appointed to his first posting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. D.J. Haro successful performance granted him a cross-posting as a Second Secretary Trade Officer to Buenos Aires, Argentina and eventually a posting as Vice-Consul Trade Commissioner to the Unites States of America, heading the Houston, Texas office.

In 1991, after a progressive diplomatic career he returned to Ottawa to work at the Ministry Head Office, assigned to a difficult trade negotiation process with various Middle East countries, this dedication and tenacious work granted him a promotion and a posting to Teheran, Iran. On May 20, 1993, he was caught in a tragic car accident in Mazandaran (Iran) that took his life, he passed way on service in Iran, living behind his common-law spouse, and his two sons Alexander and Greame a substantial life insurance under the administration of his ex-wife and mother to his sons.

Derrick John Haro, was a diplomat, an academic, a polyglot fluent in English, French, Spanish, Farsi, Arabic and had good knowledge of Hungarian and German; and above all a kind person totally dedicated to his diplomatic duties in service of Canada.