Harry Swain was the federal deputy minister of Indian Affairs and later Industry in the period 1987-96. During the Oka affair he was closely involved with the federal response: see his book Oka, 2010. Earlier he was a postdoc at Cambridge, taught economic geography at Toronto and UBC, and was a project leader at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria.
On rejoining the federal public service in 1976, he worked in energy policy (renewables, nuclear) and regional development, and for seven years worked in the federal cabinet secretariat. In 1996 he left the federal public service to become a director of Hambros Bank Ltd (London) and CEO of its Canadian subsidiary, working principally in project finance. He retired to Victoria in 2005, and in 2013-14 chaired the federal-provincial review of the Site C project. His current views on that project are on the BCUC website.
In January 2020, Harry was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada for his career service in the federal public sector.
On rejoining the federal public service in 1976, he worked in energy policy (renewables, nuclear) and regional development, and for seven years worked in the federal cabinet secretariat. In 1996 he left the federal public service to become a director of Hambros Bank Ltd (London) and CEO of its Canadian subsidiary, working principally in project finance. He retired to Victoria in 2005, and in 2013-14 chaired the federal-provincial review of the Site C project. His current views on that project are on the BCUC website.
In January 2020, Harry was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada for his career service in the federal public sector.
