Founded by Kathy Bunka, career diplomat and former Canadian Ambassador, Dispatch House is an advisory, reporting and career support service provider. We offer practical, hands-on support for those entering Government of Canada and Foreign Service competitions.
Announcements and updates from Kathy and Dispatch House will appear here.
I’m Kathy Bunka, a writer and former Canadian diplomat. Over a 30-year career as a rotational Foreign Service Officer, I represented Canada in places as varied as the United Nations in New York, Ghana and Togo, the Palestinian Territories, UNESCO in Paris, Slovakia and Iraq, where I served as Ambassador.
Today, I bring that experience to reporting, writing and career support. As the first member of my family to join Canada’s public service, I know how unfamiliar the hiring process can seem. I offer practical guidance and hands-on support to help applicants understand the process, identify their strengths and communicate their experience clearly—whether they are seeking a role in the federal government or Canada’s diplomatic service.
My education took me to McGill and Harvard; my career took me around the world. Dispatch House brings those perspectives together, grounded in curiosity about people and places and an understanding of how government works.
Individual practical support for Government of Canada applicants, informed by three decades of experience in the federal public service and diplomacy.
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. Discuss your goals and the support you need. This introductory conversation does not include detailed advice or document review. Request a consultation ↗
Practical, hands-on advice, support and answers to your questions about a Government of Canada application or competition.
One session focused on your specific needs. Substantial document review is priced separately.
Enquire about a session ↗Strengthen your responses with detailed written feedback on evidence, structure, clarity and completeness.
You write and revise your own responses, supported by practical guidance.
Discuss your screening responses ↗All prices are in Canadian dollars. More extensive support is quoted individually.
Kathy was instrumental to my promotion to the executive level at Global Affairs Canada. As my director at the time, she provided me career advice and support in my application and interview preparations. She gave me concrete pointers on how to tailor my application to the process. She also guided my interview prep and did several mock interviews with me during which she provided specific and practical feedback that was critical to my success. In my career in the public service, I have not met anyone more committed or better equipped to provide recruitment and promotional coaching.
Kathy has been instrumental in helping me better understand and navigate Government of Canada application processes. Her perspective as an accomplished Canadian diplomat has provided me with valuable advice and insights that have greatly benefited my professional development as an international affairs professional at Global Affairs Canada.
Working with Kathy on my screening questions was an absolute game-changer. Drawing on her three decades of diplomatic experience, she pinpointed exactly what evaluation boards look for beyond just the surface requirements. She helped me reframe my examples to emphasize the true nature of collaboration, structure complex analysis methodically, and eliminate common screening pitfalls. Her rigorous, actionable feedback transformed standard job responses into compelling, gold-standard public service narratives. I couldn’t have asked for a more insightful mentor to guide me through this process, and I highly recommend her to anyone preparing for high-stakes government competitions.
Kathy's help made a big difference when I applied to be a Foreign Service Officer (FS-01) at Global Affairs Canada. She knows what the assessors want to see. Her detailed feedback showed me how to explain what I did and why I did it, with enough detail. She reviewed my answers carefully and replied quickly, even with a tight deadline. My answers became much stronger because of her. I highly recommend Kathy to anyone applying for a job in the federal public service.
More endorsements coming soon.
Travel, lifestyle, foreign affairs and the stories behind the headlines.
Diplomatic Dispatches from Abroad
A life in diplomacy, told through the people, places and encounters along the way.
Drawing on three decades representing Canada, this memoir travels from the United Nations in New York, to East and West Africa, the Middle East, Slovakia and Iraq where I served as Canadian Ambassador.
More about the book, including publication news and excerpts, will appear here.
Enquire about the book ↗Navigate Government of Canada hiring processes with practical guidance, candid feedback and focused preparation—from your résumé and screening questions to assessments, interviews and simulation exercises.
Review the hiring process, the position’s requirements and the stages of assessment. Identify your priorities and build a preparation plan tailored to the competition.
Receive feedback on your résumé and guidance on drafting responses to screening questions. Choose concrete examples that clearly demonstrate how your experience meets the stated criteria.
Prepare for standard government assessment methods, interviews and simulation exercises. Practise explaining your judgment, skills and achievements, with candid feedback and structured homework.
People applying for Government of Canada positions, including foreign service roles, or preparing for a government selection process. The initial consultation helps establish whether the support fits your needs.
The initial 15-minute consultation is free. An Individual Advice Session is $250 for 60 minutes; Preparation for FS-01 Written Examination is $300; the Screening Response Package is $600; Preparation for the FS-01 Interview & Simulation Exercise is $1,500 for five hours; and Executive Interview Preparation is $4,000 for five hours. Detailed screening review is separate from the interview preparation packages. Prices are in Canadian dollars. Scope and review limits are agreed before work begins.
Dispatch House is an independent business. Support draws on Kathy’s professional experience; it does not provide privileged access to hiring processes or guarantee a selection outcome.
Email Kathy with your publication, story idea or brief, desired length and deadline. You can discuss the angle, scope and fee directly.