Stéphane Charbonneau’s appointment as the new consul and senior trade commissioner at the Canadian Consulate in Guadalajara is his seventh foreign posting of a 29-year diplomatic career.
Coming to Mexico felt like a “homecoming,” he told the Reporter this week.
“I haven’t been in Latin America since 2000 but I spent nine years in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela,“ said the fluent Spanish speaker.
Charbonneau arrived in Guadalajara in mid-August following the departure of Francis Uy, who has jetted off to the cooler climes of Finland.
“I felt at home very quickly, not so much because of the language but because of the structure. It was though I’d come back to a country or city I already knew, except that they had moved everything.”
Although 80 percent of his time is taken up with matters concerning trade between Canada and Mexico, Charbonneau has settled quickly into his consular role, making three trips to the lakeside area in as many months to meet with the large concentration of Canadian expats living there.
After celebrating Thanksgiving in October, earlier this month he attended what he described as a “very moving” Remembrance Day ceremony organized by local Canadian military organizations.
“I’m very impressed about how (Canadians) get involved in their community. It seems there are many active people there who had interesting professional careers and want to remain involved.”
Because of his diverse postings around the globe, Charbonneau’s words of wisdom on living in a foreign country are worth listening to.
“You should always be smart, be aware of your surroundings,” he advised. “I think that any expat who lives in a country for a certain amount of time becomes more comfortable and maybe less on the lookout for danger. It can be a double-edged sword though, because while on the one hand you are more naturally aware when you need to be, you can become complacent.”
Charbonneau stressed how even learning a smattering of the native language can improve one’s life in a foreign country.
“You will enjoy yourself much more if you are able to read everything you see on a menu or start a conversation with someone.”
Charbonneau said that “beyond trade and tourism,” the growth of Canadian expat communities in places such as Lake Chapala, San Miguel de Allende and Merida has contributed significantly to the development of the Canada/Mexico relationship.
And the relationship looks set to prosper further over the coming months and years as Canada lifts the unpopular visa requirement on Mexican travelers on December 1 (see story page one).
Of this move, Charbonneau said: “I think it’s a message that the prime minster of Canada and president of Mexico wanted to send when they met back in the summer. Lifting the visa requirement will help continue the integration and the expansion of our relationship with Mexico.”
Not only does Canada now expect to draw more Mexican tourists, but Charbonneau believes the measure will help increase the number of students studying at Canadian schools and universities.
The attractions of Canada for students are many, he said, but the country’s diversity is an important one. “Mexican students who go there to learn English, or to high school or university will find themselves with people from all over the world and in an environment that is quite welcoming.”
With reciprocal trade between Canada and Mexico advancing at its highest rate ever, Charbonneau will have his hands full with many tasks over the next three years.
“We try to put Canadian companies interested in exporting and finding new markets together with potential buyers. And and when Mexican firms come to us looking for Canadian technology or equipment, we put them in touch with Canadian suppliers.”
In his brief time here, Charbonneau has already participated in a major climate conference, welcomed a trade mission from Manitoba to Jalisco and organized the Canadian pavilion at a trade fair in Irapuato.
And another “unusual” event he attended recently was a tasting of Mexican recipes adapted to include Canadian oats.
Agriculture and food is one of several “key” sectors that the local trade mission focuses on. The others, Charbonneau said, are information and communications technology, wood products, clean technologies and education.
In addition, many new trade possibilities are opening up in this region, principally in animal genetics, protected agriculture (greenhouse farming) and organic products. Charbonneau also highlighted Canadian technology and experience in berry production as another business opportunity.
On a personal level, Charbonneau said he is “still exploring” the local food options. “When I first popped into the grocery store and saw the fruits and vegetables, I recognized everything except the nopal, which was new to me, but I remembered other fruits I hadn’t seen in years.”
Visits to Guadalajara’s Abastos (wholesale) market and Zapopan’s Mercado del Mar (seafood market) are on the schedule for the coming weekends, he confirmed.
Charbonneau also praised the metropolitan area’s “livability,” manageable traffic, abundance of parkland and “friendly people.”
The only difficulty in adapting, he said, was driving around a glorieta (traffic circle). “In Canada we have very strict two-lane glorietas where you have no wiggle room at all.”
Charbonneau said he has quickly realized why so many of his compatriots are drawn to the region and it’s not just about the climate, he stressed.
“It’s the quality of life . There are many cheaper places to live but all the Canadians I see, I think most are very happy here.”