The Honourable Rob Nicholson, ...Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today announced the appointment of Canada’s new ambassador to Mexico.

“We are pleased to announce the appointment of Pierre Alarie as Canada’s new ambassador to Mexico,” said the ministers. “Mr. Alarie brings a wealth of business knowledge, as well as experience in both the private and public sectors, that will help strengthen the Canada-Mexico partnership even further, bringing it to a new level.”

Last year, Canada, Mexico and the United States celebrated the 20th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement...

Canada and Mexico are both participants in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. The recent announcement by Mexico of ambitious reforms in its energy sector presents a growth opportunity for Canadian equipment and service suppliers in the oil and gas, and the sustainable technologies and renewable energy sectors.

Mexico is a priority market under Canada’s Global Markets Action Plan. Canada and Mexico are each other’s third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade amounting to more than $34 billion in 2014—an almost eightfold increase since NAFTA took effect in 1994.

Mr. Alarie will support the Government of Canada’s ambitious pro-trade plan by helping Canadian businesses succeed in the Mexican market.

This has been excerpted from the 4 March 2015 news release by Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada.