Honorary Consul

Honorary Consul of Canada in Oregon

In 2004, as a part of its Enhanced Representation Initiative, the Canadian Government decided to appoint Honorary Consuls in several major U.S. cities where it did not have a Consulate. The Canadian Government approached Jim Baumgartner, who had an active Canada/U.S. cross-border legal practice, to request that he serve in the newly established role as Honorary Consul of Canada in Portland, Oregon. Jim was very interested in doing so and in October 2004, by Order of Privy Council, Jim was duly appointed to be an Honorary Consul of Canada.

As Honorary Consul, Jim's duties and activities are varied. He assists the Canadian Consulate, located in Seattle, Washington, and other senior Canadian officials, in making contact with local, state and federal decision makers; he regularly meets and interacts with corporate, academic and political entities in the area to further trade, educational and political relationships between Oregon and Canada; and he provides local perspective and advice to the Consul General on key aspects of Canada/U.S. and Canada/Oregon relations.

Jim is very active in fulfilling these duties. Nearly every week he meets with some government official or business representative on Canadian-related matters. Jim has hosted the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., the Canadian Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities and, together with the Portland Ambassadors Program, lead a group of political and business interests to Vancouver, B.C. Jim regularly travels to Canada as the Honorary Consul, as part of his legal practice, or as a tourist, and has traveled throughout most of the country.

Consul General of Canada in Seattle, Denis Stevens
Seattle Consulate General

Denis Stevens joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1996, where he served as policy adviser to the minister of foreign affairs, deputy director in the Human Rights Division and director of policy in the Secretariat on War-Affected Children. Mr. Stevens has, since 2001, served in management positions at the departments of Justice, Indian and Northern Affairs, Public Safety, and at the Privy Council Office. Since 2007, he has been the director general of intergovernmental relations and public outreach at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. He is married to Geneviève Chanteloup, and they have two daughters. Mr. Stevens succeeds Peter Lloyd.