Barry Steers

Ian Barry Connell Steers (January 15, 1927 – November 20, 2011) was a Canadian diplomat and business consultant. Steers served as the Canadian Ambassador to Japan from 1981 to 1989, Ambassador to Brazil from 1971 to 1976, as well as Canada's first Commissioner to Bermuda from 1976 to 1979. He later became the founding director of the Japan Society following his retirement from his diplomatic career.

Biography

Early life

Steers was born and raised in London, Ontario. His father died when he was just seven years old and he was raised by his mother. Steers was the grandson of Canadian Colonel W. G. Coles. He graduated from a now shuttered high school in London, De La Salle secondary school. During his life, Steers became fluent in four languages – English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Steers studied economics and political science at University of Western Ontario during the 1940s. He met his future wife, a 23-year-old Brescia University College student from Colombia named Martha, on a blind date while in college. The couple dated for three years before marrying in 1952 at a wedding ceremony held in Colombia. They had three children – Sara Maria, who was born in Colombia; Gregory, who was born in Greece; and Connell, who was born in Ottawa.