March 4, 2015 - The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, 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 and confirmed their shared goal of working together to support North American companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to strengthen the three countries’ economic partnership, generate prosperity and increase competitiveness on the global stage.
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.
A biographical note on the appointee follows.
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Pierre Alarie (MA [Public Administration], College of Europe, Bruges, 1982) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1982. While in Ottawa, Mr. Alarie served as a trade desk officer with the European bureau. He served abroad as second secretary in Lagos and as first secretary in Santiago. After his assignment in Chile, Mr. Alarie joined the private sector. Between 1991 and 1993, Mr. Alarie was vice-president, business development of Bombardier’s transportation group, and in 1994 he became vice-president, business development, for SNC-Lavalin International in Mexico City. Subsequently, Mr. Alarie was the managing director, Latin America, for the real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec. In 1998, he joined the Bank of Nova Scotia as country representative in Mexico City, a position he held until 2004. In 2004 and 2005, Mr. Alarie was director, mergers and acquisitions, with Hydro-Québec International. He then acted as adviser for the mergers and acquisitions team of Brookfield Renewable Energy Group and worked out of both Montréal and Santiago. From 2007 to 2008, Mr. Alarie was vice-president of mergers and acquisitions with National Bank Financial in Montréal. In 2009, Mr. Alarie became vice president, business development and sales, with the Canadian Commercial Corporation in Ottawa. Mr. Alarie is a certified corporate director and a certified administrator. He will be accompanied by his spouse, Catherine Genois, and his three children, Philippe, Jack Santiago and Eloïse. Mr. Alarie succeeds Sara Hradecky.
