Franco D. Pillarella is a Canadian diplomat and lawyer who has held several positions within Canada's Foreign Service.
He served in various capacities abroad, including postings in Bonn, Milan, Rome, Algiers, and The Hague.
[3] Pillarella’s ambassadorship to Syria became a focal point during the Maher Arar inquiry, which examined Canada’s role in the detention and torture of Canadian citizens abroad.
His testimony during the inquiry revealed conflicting roles, as he both sought Arar’s release while relying on information from Syrian interrogations.
The inquiry raised significant questions about Canada’s involvement in practices that indirectly condoned torture.