Jason LaTorre, Ambassador of Canada to Sweden

Message

It is a tremendous honour and privilege to serve as Canada’s Ambassador to Sweden. Canada and Sweden have a strong and dynamic bilateral relationship, stemming from our shared values, extensive people-to-people ties, and significant business, research, academic, and civil society connections.

Our governments work closely together to stand up for the rules-based international order, protect and promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and foster free and open trade. Today, our bilateral relationship is stronger than ever, as we cooperate to tackle some of the world’s most pressing global challenges from climate change to authoritarianism.

In particular, Canada and Sweden are in regular contact regarding our joint responses to Russia’s unprovoked and illegal aggression and regarding the military, financial and humanitarian assistance that we are both providing to Ukraine. As a close friend and security partner to Sweden, Canada was pleased to be the first country to ratify Sweden’s accession protocols to join NATO and we will continue to support Sweden throughout the accession period.

In addition, as founding members of the Arctic Council, Canada and Sweden collaborate closely to promote circumpolar cooperation, support a peaceful and stable Arctic, advance our climate action goals, and foster sustainable development in our northern communities. The embassy is also working to strengthen ties between Indigenous peoples in Canada and the Sami people in Sweden, as well as to share Canada’s experience of our ongoing process toward reconciliation.

As trusted partners with shared values, Canada and Sweden must strive to strengthen our bilateral commercial relationship. Our two countries possess the strategic assets – the critical minerals, fossil-free energy, innovation and talent – to lead the world’s green and digital transition. Working closely with Swedish interlocutors, the embassy is leveraging these assets and the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to create new opportunities for our industries, enhance the resilience and security of our supply chains, and enable sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

The Embassy also works hard to provide efficient consular support to Canadians in Sweden, as well as to those in the region requiring consular services as a result of the war in Ukraine. Whether you are a Canadian residing in Sweden, or a visitor here, please take a moment to register online.

My team and I are committed to strengthening the Canada-Sweden relationship, advancing our common foreign policy priorities, and providing high-quality and timely service to Canadians. I invite you to follow our embassy’s accounts on X (Twitter) @CanadaSweden and Facebook @CanEmbSweden.

Jason LaTorre
Ambassador of Canada to Sweden

Biography

Jason LaTorre was appointed as Ambassador of Canada to Sweden in September 2021. Prior to his appointment, he served as Chief of Staff to Canada’s Deputy Minister of International Trade from 2019 to 2021.

During his career, he has served abroad as Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C. (2015 to 2019), Senior Trade Commissioner in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2007 to 2010), and Trade Commissioner in Singapore (2003 to 2006).

Between his assignments abroad, he held a variety of management positions at Global Affairs Canada headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, during which he championed new trade programs and policies aimed at strengthening Canada’s global competitiveness.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in International business from the University of Victoria (1995) and a Master’s degree in International affairs from Carleton University (2000).

He lives with his partner, Lauren Haney, in Stockholm, and has 2 teenage daughters, Maya and Madison.