Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) is the union of External Affairs Canada and the Department of International Trade that was arranged by the Liberal Party in 1995. It should be noted that the change of terminology from "External Affairs" to "Foreign Affairs" marked an important milestone in Canadian Foreign Policy -- at the time of the External Affairs portfolio's inception Canada was still seen as a subsidiary of the United Kingdom without its own foreign policy and most of its relations with other British Empire nations that couldn't be considered "foreign" lands. Following the merger, the department maintained two separate ministers, one for foreign relations the other for trade, and added a third to deal with non-commercial international arrangements, such a development assistance and foreign aid. The current ministers are:

• Minister of Foreign Affairs - Bill Graham
• Minister for International Trade - Pierre Pettigrew
• Minister for International Cooperation - Susan Whelan

The department is headquartered in the Lester B. Pearson Building on the bank of the Ottawa River in the nation's capital.

Past Ministers

• List of Canadian Ministers of Foreign Affairs (1995-)
• List of Canadian Secretaries of State for External Affairs (1909-1995)
• List of Canadian Ministers for International Trade (1983-)
• List of Canadian Ministers for International Cooperation (1996-)