From international student to Canada’s new High Commissioner to Ghana, Togo and Sierra Leone

The trajectory from Canadian newcomer to ambassador might seem impossible or improbable to most, but not to Myriam Montrat, MA 98. The recently appointed High Commissioner of Canada to Ghana — a posting that also serves Togo and Sierra Leone — dreamed of becoming a diplomat from a young age.

Born in Côte d’Ivoire and raised by a single mom, Montrat and her mother moved to France when she was 14. She learned English during summers spent in the United Kingdom, and studied law for two years at the University of Caen Normandie in France. During that time, she vacationed in Canada and fell in love with the country.

“I liked Canada’s bold vision to enshrine minority rights in its constitution, and to support and recognize that differences are a gift, not a threat,” says Montrat. She then relocated to the United States where she completed a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations at Colby College in Maine.

After a stint working for a public relations firm in New York City then Paris, Montrat applied for and was granted permanent resident status in Canada in 1995. She landed in Montreal and soon found consulting work focusing on international issues. It was then that her childhood dream began to take shape.

To help her on her path to becoming a diplomat, she enrolled in Concordia’s Master in Public Policy and Public Administration (MPPPA) program, earning her degree in 1998. She became a Canadian citizen that same year.

‘Concordia was instrumental’

Montrat recalls being inspired by Reeta Tremblay, her political science professor at the time. “She was an anchor, always present, always encouraging. She inspired us to be the best that we could be as international students. And her home was always open to us.”

Through the MPPPA program, Montrat did a Co-op placement with the Government of Canada, and her career was launched.

“Concordia was instrumental in terms of not only helping me frame my thinking from the standpoint of public policy,” she says, “but also giving me opportunities to actually put it to work within the federal public service.”

Montrat knew she needed to be a well-rounded public servant, with a solid understanding of the inner workings of government, as well as experience in a region. “So, I went and spent a year in Quebec, managing a federal program so that I could comprehend the dynamic of federal-provincial relationships,” she says.

She then took on roles with strong international components, which allowed her to represent the Government of Canada at the United Nations and in multiple international forums.

Montrat, now a high-level government executive, has since worked for Health Canada, in senior leadership roles in the Privy Council Office, at Industry Canada (now Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada), at the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and then as Secretary General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

In September 2024, Montrat stepped into her latest role as High Commissioner of Canada to Ghana, Togo and Sierra Leone. One of the first people she called to share the news of the diplomatic posting was Professor Tremblay. “She was so thrilled,” recalls Montrat.

A continent with ‘so much potential’

A priority for Montrat in her new role is working with the Government of Ghana to raise the level of comfort of Canadian companies and foster a welcoming business environment so that they come and explore investment opportunities in Africa. It’s about working together as partners so that both sides can benefit, she adds.

“I think Canada can do way more in Africa. This is the continent that has so much potential. There will be many opportunities, and if we don’t strengthen our relationships, we risk missing those opportunities — and other countries have already caught up on that.”

Montrat also looks forward to collaborating on women’s empowerment, gender equality and education with Ghana’s newly-elected first ever woman vice-president, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. Montrat is additionally committed to working closely with the government on common priorities such as regional security, economic prosperity, climate action, green energy and opportunities for youth.

Asked if she could have believed as an international student that one day she would represent her new homeland of Canada as a high commissioner, Montrat responds “Yes, because I have always believed in Canada’s promise that you can aspire to do and be more.

“I have always aspired to become a diplomat because you get to have a positive influence on a global scale and impact the world — I worked hard to achieve that goal,” she adds.

To students who may pursue a similar path, Montrat says: “Follow your dream, your passion, and build the blocks that are going to lead you where you want to be. Dream big and dare to imagine a great future for yourself!”