15 Facts About Keith MacLellan

Keith William MacLellan was a Canadian soldier, scholar, and diplomat who championed the cause of a federal, united Canada.

Keith MacLellan served as Ambassador to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, Jordan, and Syria.

Keith MacLellan was a direct descendant of Philemon Wright, the founder of Hull, Quebec, which was later amalgamated into the municipality of Gatineau.

Keith MacLellan grew up in Montreal, Quebec, where he studied political science and pre-law at McGill University.

In 1942 Keith MacLellan put his studies on hold to join the army, and shortly after he was sent overseas to the United Kingdom.

Keith MacLellan was the daughter of Count Adelin Le Grelle and Rosalie de Swert; the niece of Count Jacques Legrelle, who helped organise the Comet Line; and the aunt of Cecilia Ciganer-Albeniz, who was briefly the First Lady of France in 2007.

Post-war, Keith MacLellan studied philosophy, politics and economics at New College, Oxford, obtaining a Master's of Arts in 1947.

Keith MacLellan subsequently returned to Canada, where he worked at Imperial Oil before joining Canada's Department of External Affairs in 1950.

Keith MacLellan is survived by his four children, Dr Keith MacLellan, Dr Anne-Marie MacLellan, Janet MacLellan, and Andrew MacLellan.

Keith MacLellan joined the Department of External Affairs in 1950, and was part of the group of Canadian Foreign Service officers who helped shape Canada's post-war diplomatic efforts and policy.

In 1979, Keith MacLellan requested a leave of absence from the Department of External Affairs in order to run for Parliament and contribute to the federalist cause during the 1980 Quebec Referendum.

Keith MacLellan returned to his hometown of Montreal to stand as the Progressive Conservative candidate for the riding of Lasalle in the 1979 federal election.

Keith MacLellan subsequently rejoined the Department of External Affairs, where he was posted as Ambassador first to Jordan and then to Syria.

Keith MacLellan was first elected as President of the St Andrew's Society of Montreal, and later President of the St Andrew's Society of Ottawa.

Keith MacLellan stood as the director of Clan MacLellan of America, and a convenor of the Franco-Scottish Society of Quebec.