Canada announced on Monday that it has a new diplomat based in Minneapolis.
Jamshed Merchant is the new consul general for our neighbor to the north and will have responsibility for five states: Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Merchant's duties as Canada's top diplomat for the region during his four-year term include promoting trade and investment between the two nations, as well as dealing with international travel needs on behalf of Canadians.
He succeeds Martin Loken, whose four-year term expired in August.
"The U.S. and Canada have the largest trading relationship in the world, our energy infrastructure is intrinsically linked and we share similar cultures and values," Merchant said in a statement announcing his appointment by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "Especially in this border region, the connections are numerous and deep."
Two-way trade between Canada and the five-state region covered by the Consulate General exceeds $34 billion a year.
The Consulate General of Canada, 701 4th Av. S. in downtown Minneapolis, has had a presence in the city since 1970.
Merchant comes to Minnesota from Ottawa, where he served most recently as Assistant Deputy Minister for Agri-Environment in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. He is married and has three children.
