Canada has appointed diplomat Cameron Mackay as its new high commissioner to India. That post has been vacant since Nadir Patel left this summer.
An announcement from the office of foreign minister Melanie Joly also included changes to Canada’s consulates in India, with new consul generals taking over in Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai.
Cameron Mackay, who is moving from his post as ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, has expertise in trade negotiations, pointing towards a focus on such discussions that were revived this year. And having served in Jakarta, Mackay is also familiar with issues concerning the Indo-Pacific, as Ottawa frames a comprehensive new strategy for the region.
Cameron Mackay joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1995, and has served as director of regional trade policy from 2008-10, director general for China trade policy from 2012-13, director general of the Trade Negotiations Bureau from 2013-15 and director general of the Trade Sectors Bureau from 2015-17.
Simultaneous changes were also announced at Canada’s three consulate generals in India. Diedrah Kelly is taking over as consul general in Mumbai from Annie Dubé. Patrick Hébert will become consul general in Chandigarh replacing Mia Yen, while Benoit Préfontaine will take over as consul general in Bengaluru from Nicole Girard.
These new appointments were announced as Canada and India continue to engage over a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), which have been discussed for over a decade but talks had stalled in recent years. On Wednesday, Canada’s minister of international trade, export promotion, small business and economic development Marg Ng spoke with India’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal.
A release from Global Affairs Canada said the two ministers “welcomed a re-engagement on negotiations toward a Canada-India comprehensive economic partnership agreement and a Canada-India foreign investment promotion and protection agreement, and committed to working closely together to reach agreements in the coming months.”
