Ottawa – Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the appointment of Laird Hindle as Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia. This is Canada’s first ambassadorial appointment to Estonia and is part of the expansion of Canada’s diplomatic presence in Central and Eastern Europe. As announced by Minister Joly last year, Canada has converted its office in Estonia—formerly under the purview of the ambassador to Latvia—into a full embassy with a resident ambassador in Tallinn.
The conversion of Canada’s office in Estonia—a key NATO ally—into a full embassy with a resident ambassador will serve to build stronger bilateral ties, further enhance Canada’s engagement in the region, help counter Russia’s destabilizing activities and increase support for Operation REASSURANCE. Recently at the Nato Summit, Minister Joly met with Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Canada is committed to regional security and deepening our relationship with Estonia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also present.
“With this first appointment, we continue to advance Canada’s strategic diplomatic presence in the Baltic states. Since Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, the world has experienced a profound geopolitical shift with political, economic, security and environmental impacts. To counteract Russia’s sustained aggression and influence, it is imperative that we reinforce Canada’s standing through diplomatic engagement on the ground working side by side with our friends and allies.” – Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs