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At the Consulate of Canada, we were lucky enough to meet with Consul General Ms Rachael Bedlington and Program Manager Benoit Girouard.

Rachael, an avid pursuer of international relations since the age of 15, is the Consulate General. Her passion for the news, will to solve world problems, and motivation to make a difference in the largest bureaucracies of the world have driven her through the tough processes of achieving recognition among international relations departments. Her current achievements include working on issues in South Sudan and being the Canadian Consul General of Hong Kong.

Benoit, off from a master's in International Relations and Politics from Sweden, has worked for 20 years under Canada’s Consulate. Benoit emphasizes that flexibility, understanding, and a will to make change will make one successful in the field of resolving international disputes.

While many may not expect it, the Canadian population in Hong Kong is thriving - at about 300,000 citizens. Massive emigration over the years has led to a rich relationship between the two regions. Canada has also garnered traction as a place to study - its high-quality educational institutions, reasonable prices, and welcoming environments have made it an attractive option to Hong Kong students. HK and Canadian relations started with Canada starting a mission in HK in 1923, this even lasted through the start of WWII where 2,000 Canadians fought against the Japanese. Besides having a rich commercial interest, Canada also contributes to influencing Hong Kong government policies, education bureaus, businesses, and even the culture.
In terms of trade, Canada’s main import is unwrought gold, due to HK being a major hub for the jewelry businesses . However, other exchanges also include agriculture products and advanced manufactured goods.

We would like to again thank Ms Rachael Bedlington, Benoit Girouard, for having us over and we hope to be back soon!