Shared history, economic cooperation, and people-to-people ties are shaping a modern bilateral relationship
AMBASSADOR’S INTERVIEW
by Mijat Kontić
H.E. Michelle Cameron
Ambassador of Canada to Serbia
In an exclusive conversation for The Diplomat on Euronews Serbia, produced in cooperation with Diplomacy&Commerce magazine, H.E. Michelle Cameron, Ambassador of Canada to Serbia, speaks with Mijat Kontić about bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and the shared values that connect the two countries.
The question I’d like to start this interview with relates to your diplomatic career. You’ve received multiple awards, including the Minister’s Award for Consular Excellence and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. You’ve also served as the Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon with responsibilities to Syria. How have all of these experiences affected your approach to diplomacy here in Serbia?
Thank you for recognising the awards I’ve received, particularly when I was promoted to Ambassador. In the Canadian system, no award is given to an individual alone. Each one reflects the work of teams, partnerships, and shared goals. It shows what Canada values.
When I was promoted to Ambassador in Lebanon, it recognised the ability to enter any circumstance, bring people together around an issue, and work with a strong team—embassy staff, the business community, or local government—to help solve problems. My career includes awards and promotions, but above all it reflects Canada’s commitment to partnerships and shared goals. That is what I bring with me to Serbia.
This year marks the 84th year of bilateral relations between Canada and Serbia. How do you see this relationship, or should I say, how do you see its evolution over the last decade?
In Serbia, I’ve learned that answers often begin with history. Even before arriving, I was pleased to learn about the long history of Serbian migration to Canada. It began in the 1850s, with a large wave in the early 1900s to Western Canada. Serbian Canadians helped build my country, contributing to infrastructure, forestry, and mining.
During World War I, Canadian soldiers returned from Europe with stories of Serbian resistance and resilience. It was legendary. Young Canadians, aged 19 to 24, came back with admiration for Serbia. I heard these stories long before I ever thought of coming here.
It sounds like such an unlikely alliance.
To come back from war with a positive story is rare; perhaps that is why it became legendary. Canadians also sent medical missions to Serbia during the war to help with the devastation of conflict and disease. In parts of Serbia, that legacy is still remembered.
When we talk about diplomatic relations, we must also look at people-to-people connections. That mutual understanding and respect laid a solid foundation.
This was the basis for its evolution.
Over the past 84 years, Serbia and Canada have not always seen eye to eye. There have been historic challenges, yet diplomatic relations were maintained—something not all countries achieve. Around the world, disagreements often lead to tension or breaks in relations. That did not happen between Serbia and Canada.
Before considering a posting to Serbia, I asked myself why. What is unique here? I saw three things. First, both Canada and Serbia believe in the power of dialogue and alliances, even with those who do not share their worldview. They recognise that one issue should not end a relationship, since future alignment may be needed.
Second, this is the essence of diplomacy. Especially in today’s global context, imagine if countries only spoke with those they agreed with. Canada and Serbia understand this and have kept relations steady.
Third, there is a strong people-to-people connection. At least 100,000 Serbian-Canadians live in Canada. Everywhere I go in Serbia, I meet another Serbian-Canadian. It creates a sense of home.
What are the goals you hope to achieve during your tenure here in Belgrade?
As an ambassador, you want the best for the country you’re serving in. You wouldn’t be here otherwise. My goal is to assist Serbia in any way Canada can, whether by deepening the economy or sharing Canadian expertise in areas where Serbia needs support.
If Serbia wants or needs Canada’s assistance, my goal is to facilitate this in a way that respects Serbia’s needs and priorities. I also want to deepen our bilateral relationship. Even though I feel at home here and we share many citizens, I was expecting some areas of collaboration to be further along.
I want to encourage deeper connections—government to government, people to people, business to business, academia to academia, and everything in between, including education and culture. This relationship deserves it.
Usually, countries have deep ties with their neighbours. Canada is geographically far from Serbia, but not in spirit or cultural connection. A third goal is to deepen our economic relationship.
Understood. Now, Serbia has a unique geopolitical position, not only in the Balkans but also to Europe. How does Canada support Serbia’s aspirations toward joining the EU?
We see Serbia for what it is: the most consequential political, economic, and security actor in this region. Anything Serbia does reverberates with its neighbours and across the broader region. Serbia is extremely important, and we recognise that.
Serbia has expressed its desire to join the EU. I’ve seen government statements and opinion polls suggesting that roughly half the population supports EU membership. From Canada’s perspective, we support Serbia’s aspirations.
We believe the EU offers security, economic opportunity, and educational and cultural growth. I’ve travelled across Europe throughout my career and seen the benefits experienced by newer members. The difference in their prosperity, their ability to enter a multilateral forum and bring people around their issue, is unquestionable. While Canada believes that is the best path for Serbia, and we want to support Serbia in that aspiration, as long as the Serbian people and government want it, we want to help. As I mentioned earlier, I want the best for this country.
I want to offer Serbia assistance in rule of law legislation, in how we created freedom of media, and in areas where Canada may be ahead of the curve. If Canada can lend expertise, give advice, and recognise that Serbia is a different environment where advice may be adapted, I want to be part of that. We have a small grants program that civil society and others can apply for.
Through that, we have supported impactful projects aligned with Serbia’s goals, including those of its people and government, consistent with its EU path. The work required for EU accession is valuable in itself.
You also mentioned security for Canada. NATO is the cornerstone of security. How do you view the stance of the Serbian government, its position towards NATO right now?
Canada was a founding member of NATO in 1949. Imagine coming out of the First World War, then the Second World War, and only then fully establishing our own passports. We had been a country since 1867, part of the British Empire, and finally stood more independently.
As a country with more freedom than before, NATO—with 32 members today—became a cornerstone of our security. We believe global issues require global solutions and global alliances. Looking at Serbia, of course, its history with NATO is different.
From a Canadian perspective, our experience has been positive, but we recognise that Serbia’s history is not the same. A recent public opinion poll showed that 80% of Serbians are not willing to join NATO or are opposed to membership. That is completely understandable given the different history.
What I encourage people to consider is that while history is extremely important and must not be forgotten, we also need to look at the NATO of today, the Serbia of today, and the global challenges we face. From my perspective, NATO remains right for Canada.
I appreciate that Serbia and the Ministry of Defence have collaborated with NATO on the Partnership for Peace. There are joint training exercises and other forms of cooperation through this framework. What I see in Serbia is openness, perhaps best described as cautious pragmatism.
If the Serbian people and government, making their own decision without outside influence or disinformation, decide that NATO membership is right for them, I will be here to assist. If instead they choose collaboration, interoperability when needed, or another way forward through the Partnership for Peace or similar initiatives, we will also support them in that ambition.
Now, an important factor for the future is climate change. Canada has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. How does this shape Canada’s foreign policies, especially in international negotiations regarding climate?
What I love about Canadian foreign policy is that it reflects our values. We have been consistent throughout the years, regardless of changes in government or domestic circumstances.
We believe that people have a right to breathe clean air. No one should have their lifespan cut short because of emissions. We also believe we must protect the environment for future generations.
It is in our DNA, in our hearts, and naturally extends into our foreign policy. At present, 80% of Canada’s electricity comes from sources that do not produce emissions.
You also mentioned trade. And this is where Canada and Serbia have had a positive trend lately. In the last decade, this is the first time that trade has surpassed 100 million Canadian dollars. What are the factors that contributed to this? And how can both countries build on this success?
Before I came here, I looked at the statistics. We have a central government department called Statistics Canada, and we always try to make data-driven decisions. At that time we were on track, and we have since surpassed 100 million. We are now at 160 million.
I mean, that’s a big difference.
At the end of 2024, that was where we stood. As I have said before, trade between neighbours is naturally high. Shared history and interconnected economies make neighbours the number one trading partners for most countries worldwide.
When I saw the recent uptick, I looked at individual cases of success, such as increases in trade or foreign direct investment. Each of these examples, if I am not mistaken, came down to mutual recognition of what Canadian and Serbian businesses bring to the table—something I first noticed in the stories from World War I.
Two examples underline this. The Aviation Academy wanted world-class flight simulators to meet a local challenge: Air Serbia’s rapid growth and the urgent need for pilots. A safe, cost-effective way to train them was essential. A Canadian company, CAE Incorporated, world-renowned for its simulators, entered into cooperation. Now a Canadian flight simulator in Serbia is training Serbian pilots who can fly anywhere, hopefully including direct routes for Air Serbia.
Another example is Pratt & Whitney Canada, which produces turbo engines for aircraft. They partnered with Prince Aviation in Serbia because of the expertise of Serbian mechanics, engineers, and professionals. Together they opened the only authorised service centre of its kind in Europe for Pratt & Whitney engines after rental use—servicing, refurbishing, and ensuring quality. The Canadian company recognised Serbia’s expertise, and Serbia recognised the quality of Pratt & Whitney engines. Together, they created a crucial part of the Air Serbia programme.
Do you maybe even know how many Canadian-owned businesses are currently operating in Serbia?
I wish I knew the exact number, but in fact it is better that I do not. In countries where companies face difficulties entering the market—understanding the rules, making connections at the people-to-people or business-to-business level—we tend to hear more about them. Canadian companies do not usually face those problems. They come, set up operations, hire lawyers to navigate requirements, and it works well. They can hire people.
In the past six months, I have travelled to every corner of Serbia. The few I missed when visiting as a tourist 10 years ago I have now seen, and I keep encountering excellent Canadian companies. In Belgrade, there is Tenstorrent, a company developing AI hardware. They have an R&D centre here, employ engineers and other professionals, and maintain facilities both in Canada and in Belgrade. Blue Cat, a software engineering company, employs up to 200 people.
In Niš, AMD’s research and development arm, based in Toronto, has an R&D centre in the Science and Technology Park, in addition to one in Belgrade. This is world-class manufacturing. Magna International, a leader in EV parts research and development, also has facilities here.
I would also like to mention the Canadian companies operating in Serbia such as: Dundee Precious Metal, Boron One Balkan Gold, Bel Textron, Apatinska Pivara (A Molson Coors Beverage Company) and McCain.
Canadian mining companies are active as well. Mining is a sensitive topic in Serbia, and I fully respect Serbia’s right to decide its own path. If Serbia chooses to pursue mining, Canadian companies have already invested around 300 million euros. They respect environmental legislation here, just as they must respect Canadian environmental and employment laws at home. This makes them strong partners.
These Canadian companies succeed not necessarily because of embassy involvement—though we are here to support them—but because they find a business environment similar to Canada. They encounter an educated, innovative workforce, which is essential. The Serbian government has also created conditions that allow foreign direct investment and foreign companies to come. As a result, Canadian companies are thriving. Every time I visit one, they are expanding again. The main limiting factor is simply finding enough workforce.