Pamela Joy Taylor

Pamela Joy Taylor
March 25, 1959 – September 25, 2013

Pamela Joy Taylor was born in Halifax, NS. Pamela was the youngest child of Lambert and Freda (Bishop) Taylor - which she enjoyed pointing out to her five sisters and brother. Family and friends were Pamela’s love and delight. She had a great sense of humour and enjoyed a great debate.

Pamela loved to travel and spent many vacations with her favourite “travel buddies” visiting countries around the world. She also enjoyed exploring her home province of Nova Scotia, taking particular pleasure in annual visits to the Shelburne Harbour area.

In 1985, Pamela began a long and dedicated career with the Federal Government of Canada. She spent most of her career with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). In 2003 she was transferred to the newly formed Canada Border Services Agency, where she worked for six years, before returning to CIC.

Working in the immigration sector, Pamela was on hand for many noteworthy events - the 1987 mass migrant arrival in Nova Scotia, when 174 migrants waded ashore; the tragic crash of a Swiss Air flight into the Atlantic Ocean southwest of the Halifax International airport in 1998; the emergency humanitarian evacuation plan in which Canada took in more than 7,000 Kosovar refugees in 1999; and, the diversion of civilian airline flights in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001.

During her time as Supervisor at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada operations office at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Pam trained and mentored numerous CIC personnel. Many became lifelong personal friends. Colleagues recall Pam telling them to go see the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in order to learn more about the history of immigration in Halifax, as it would give them, as Immigration Officers, another perspective on the important work they do.

Pamela’s significant contributions were acknowledged by her employer in many ways. Examples include the Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal (2009), a CBSA Divisional award, numerous CIC awards, and the Canada Border Services Honour Guard at her funeral.

Pamela’s efforts as a public servant were also recognized nationally and internationally. For example, she trained Iceland’s Border Police on immigration matters prior to the country’s entry into the Schengen agreement, and represented CIC as an international observer at a major multi-country planning exercise in New Zealand.

Pamela leaves behind the gift of being a loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Pamela’s legacy includes the training and coaching of a generation of immigration and border services professionals. Family, colleagues and friends will long remember the memory of Pamela’s natural leadership, loyalty, knowledge, positive personality, humour and quick wit – hallmarks of her life and career.

Pamela Joy Taylor’s plaque on the Sobey Wall of Honour at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 was purchased from donations given by the many people who knew and loved her at CBSA and CIC.