Sri Lanka has appointed Mr. Claude Gagnon as its Honorary Consul in Montréal, for the province of Quebec in Canada.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Canada, M.A.K. Girihagama, handed over the Commission of Appointment issued by the Government and Sri Lanka and the Exequatur granted by Canada to Mr. Gagnon, on 26 March 2019 at the High Commission in Ottawa.
Making brief remarks on this occasion, High Commissioner Girihagama underlined the important role played by the Honorary Consul and the need to foster deeper ties between Sri Lanka and Quebec. The High Commissioner also requested Honorary Consul, Gagnon to guide Sri Lanka nationals and prospective visitors to Sri Lanka on consular matters while also encouraging stronger bilateral ties including the promotion of investment, tourism and trade between Sri Lanka and Quebec.
Honorary Consul Gagnon, who is the President, (Operations) of the Bank of Montreal (BMO) Financial Group, a leader in the financial sector, was selected following a rigorous process in keeping with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka.
In addition to the appointment of Honorary Consul Gagnon, three new Honorary Consuls for Sri Lanka were also appointed to Calgary in Alberta, Halifax in Nova Scotia and St. John in New Brunswick on 4 March 2019. In addition, Sri Lanka also has an Honorary Consul in Vancouver, British Columbia.