Visit to Canada of His Excellency Mircea Geoană, President of the Senate of Romania, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From November 2 to 7, 2010, His Excellency Mircea Geoană, President of the Senate of Romania, led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa and Halifax at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate. The delegation was composed of Romanian Senators Marian Rasaliu, Fekete Szabo Andras Levente, Raymond Luca, Ion Toma, Elena Mitrea, as well as Mrs. Ana Cătăută, Counsellor to the President of Senate and chief of cabinet and Mrs. Carmen Ionescu, Counsellor of the Foreign Bilateral Division. The official delegation was also accompanied by Her Excellency Elena Ştefoi, Ambassador of Romania, Mr. Eugen Constantin Predatu, Deputy Chief of Mission and Ms. Raluca Truşcanu, First Secretary.

The delegates had the opportunity to attend various meetings in Ottawa and Halifax.

In Ottawa, they toured the Parliament of Canada, attended Question Period in the House of Commons, Senators' Statements in the Senate and visited the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The delegation also met with the following representatives:

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable Keith Ashfield, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Revenue and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Gateway;
• The Honourable Peter Van Loan, P.C., M.P., Minister of International Trade;
• The Honourable Art Eggleton, Senator, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology;
• The Honourable George Furey, Senator;
• The Honourable John D. Wallace, Senator;
• Mr. Deepak Obhrai, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Marcel Proulx, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association;
• Members of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association;
• Members of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF);
• The Honourable Steve Peters, M.P.P., Speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly; and
• Mr. Eric Janse, Clerk Assistant and Director General, International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate.

In Halifax, the delegation attended the Halifax International Security Forum and toured Pier 21 Canada's Immigration Museum. The delegation also met with the following representatives:

• The Honourable Donald H. Oliver, Senator, Speaker Pro Tempore of the Senate;
• The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., M.P., Minister of the National Defence;
• Mr. Ches Carter, Senior Manager of Operations, Halifax Port Authority;
• Ms. Michele Peveril, Manager of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, Halifax Port Authority; and
• Ms. Elizabeth Moore, Manager of Community Affairs, Halifax Port Authority.

The visit served to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and allowed the delegates to meet with various Canadian federal officials, as well as to visit Romanians residing in Canada.