Peter Kent was first elected to the House of Commons in October, 2008.
Prior to his election, Mr Kent was an award-winning broadcast journalist having spent more than 40 years working as a writer, reporter, producer, anchor and senior executive in Canada, the United States and around the world.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Peter Minister of State of Foreign Affairs with particular responsibility for the Americas.
Peter brings a wealth of experience to the Americas assignment from his days as a correspondent with NBC News working the hemisphere from Miami. His beat spanned an era when many countries of the region struggled to survive communism and narco-terrorism.