Sven Jurschewsky

Peacefully at the Ottawa Civic Hospital after a short but courageous fight with cancer with his family by his side. Beloved husband of Sabaina Jurschewsky (nee Nartey) and loving and devoted father to Kiri. Predeceased by his parents Harald and Nina Jurschewsky and his brother Alexander. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Theresa Jurschewsky (nee Cowan) and his niece Natasha and nephew Sven. Sven was born in a refugee facility located in the American post-war zone in Gunzberg Germany. He immigrated to Canada (Montreal) with his parents at the young age of six months. Montreal became his city (Leonard Cohen, Schwartz’s Montreal smoke meat, the bagels, world class museums, galleries and entertainment, the Canadiens, Expos and Alouettes). In 1976, following academic studies at McGill University (BA), Dalhousie University (MA) and the University of Toronto (PhD studies), Sven joined the then Department of External Affairs and enjoyed a very successful diplomatic career spanning 38 years, retiring in 2014. He specialized in political-military affairs, international security and intelligence and nuclear arms control. While posted to the Canadian Embassy in Beijing as head of the political section (1999-2003), he was the lead Canadian negotiator responsible for the establishment of Canada’s diplomatic relations with the Hermit Kingdom of North Korea. Sven also served in Vienna twice (1978, 1995-1999), Berlin/Bonn (1979-1981), Lagos (1986-1989), Beijing (1999-2003), Zagreb (2003-2006) and New Delhi (2009-2012). In Ottawa, he was deeply involved in Canada’s participation in IMF/World Bank negotiations with many developing countries restructuring their onerous debts. To see the results of these negotiations, he sought a posting to Lagos Niagara to observe first hand the results on the ground. He was a principal negotiator for the Charter for European Security and the lead negotiator of the 1995 extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a land mark treaty that made the world a safer place to live. Sven will be also greatly missed by the many close friends and colleagues he made throughout his career at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, other federal government departments including PCO, DND and CSIS, numerous foreign ministries and their embassies in Ottawa, international organizations and academia. A memorial service and celebration of life will be held May 8, 2019 at 1:00 PM at Beechwood National Memorial Centre, Ottawa. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated by the family. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa. Messages of condolences may be left at www.beechwoodottawa.ca .