Visit to Canada of His Excellency Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, President of the Senate, His Excellency Patricio Walker Prieto, President of the Chamber of Deputies, Republic of Chile, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From March 26 to 30, 2007, at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, and the Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons, His Excellency Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, President of the Senate of the Republic of Chile and His Excellency Patricio Walker Prieto, President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile, led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa, Montreal, Québec, Toronto and Saskatoon. The delegation was composed of Mr. Ricardo Nuñez Muñoz, Senator; Mr. Carlos Cantero Ojeda, Senator; Mr. Marcos Espinosa Monardes, Deputy; Mr. Manuel García García, Deputy; Mr. Enrique Jaramillo Becker, Deputy; and Mr. Claudio Alvarado Andrade, Deputy. The official delegation was also accompanied by His Excellency Eugenio Ortega, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile to Canada, as well as other representatives from the Diplomatic Corps.

While in Canada, the delegates had an opportunity to participate in several meetings in Ottawa. They were then divided in three groups to allow for meetings in Montreal and Québec; Toronto; and Saskatoon. During their visits, the delegates met with the following officials and organizations:

In Ottawa:

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Senator, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P., Prime Minister;
• The Honourable Dan Hays, P.C., Senator, Chair of the Former Special Committee on Senate Reform;
• The Honourable Peter Mackay, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• The Honourable Chuck Strahl, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister of the Canadian Wheat Board;
• The Honourable Gary Lunn, P.C., M.P., Minister of Industry;
• The Honourable Monte Solberg, P.C., M.P., Minister of Human Resources and Social Development;
• Mr. Ted Menzies, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade;
• Members of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
• Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Commons;
• Members of the Standing Committee on International Trade of the House of Commons;
• Members of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA);
• Mr. Paul C. Bélisle, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments; and
• Mr. Marc Bosc, Deputy Clerk of the House of Commons.

In Montreal and Québec:

• Mr. Michel Bissonnet, M.N.A., President of the National Assembly;
• Mr. Normand Bergeron, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife;
• Mr. Michel Boivin, Deputy Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports;
• Mrs. Sylvie Barcelo, Deputy Minister of Families, Seniors and Status of Women;
• Mr. Daniel Bienvenue, Associate Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines;
• Representatives from the Université Laval, Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Institute, Representatives from National Optics Institute, and
• Representatives from Atrium Biotechnologies.

In Toronto:

• The Honourable Christopher Bentley, M.P.P., Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities;
• The Honourable Rick Bartolucci, M.P.P., Minister of Northern Development and Mines;
• The Honourable Kathleen O’Day Wynne, M.P.P., Minister of Education;
• The Honourable Michael A. Brown, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly;
• Dr. Raymond Théberge, Director General of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada;
• Representatives from the University of Toronto, Darlington Nuclear Generating Station; and
• Representatives from Atomic Energy Canada Limited.

In Saskatoon:

• Representatives from the Canadian Grain Commission;
• Representatives from the University of Saskatoon;
• Representatives from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources;
• Representatives from Canadian Light Source Synchrotron;
• Representatives from the Canadian Wheat Board;
• Representatives from Innovation Place;
• Representatives from the National Research Council Plan Biotechnology Institute; and
• Representatives from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Facilities.

The visit was an opportunity to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement. It was also an opportunity to pursue relations between both countries beyond commerce and trade to include political, social, cultural and technological elements. Discussions were held on the functioning of parliament in Canada and on the topics of education, energy, mining and agriculture. The delegation of the Republic of Chile showed a particular interest in enhancing the mechanisms for exchanges and partnerships between both countries in several areas of interest.