Visit of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Latvia and Liechtenstein
From January 16 to 26, 2010, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, led an official parliamentary delegation to Latvia and Liechtenstein. The delegation was composed of Mrs. Ann Kinsella, the Honourable Senators Dennis Dawson and Percy Mockler, Ms. Janelle Feldstein, Chief of Staff of the Speaker of the Senate; and Ms. Gaëtane Lemay, Secretary to the delegation.
In Riga, the capital city of Latvia, the delegation met with:
- His Excellency Valdis Zatlers, President of the Republic of Latvia;
- His Excellency Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister of Latvia;
- His Excellency Mr. Gundars Daudze, Speaker of the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament);
- Ms. Solvita Āboltiņa, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima;
- Mr. Imants Lieģis, Minister of Defence;
- Mr. Mareks Grŭskevics, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science;
- Mr. Dzintars Rasnačs, Saeima Secretary General.
- Mr. Mārcis Auziņš, Rector, Latvijas Universitate (University of Latvia); and
- Cardinal Jānis Pujats, Archbishop of Riga, Roman Catholic Church;
- Pavils Bruvers, Bishop of Liepāja, Deputy Archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church;
- The High Priest Aleksandrs Nagla, Orthodox Church;
- Ms. Vaira Vike Freiberga, former President of Latvia;
The members of the delegation had a round-table meeting with representatives of non-governmental organizations to discuss the status of human rights in Latvia. The following people participated in this meeting:
- Ms. Marija Golubeva, Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS;
- Mr. Andris Aukmanis, Soros Foundation;
- Ms. Linda Freimane, Mozaῑka;
- Ms. Mara Simane, LAPAS;
- Mr. Viktors Makarovs, EuroCivitas;
- Ms. Ilze Andresone, Marta Resource Centre for Women; and
- Ms. Anhelita Kamenska, Latvian Human Rights Centre.
The delegation visited the Freeport of Riga, where it met with:
- Mr. Viesturs Silenieks, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Riga Freeport Authority;
- Mr. Leonīds Loginovs, Chief Executive Officer;
- Mr. Vladimirs Makarovs, Director, Strategic Planning and Project Management;
- Mr. Edgars Sūna, Head of the Strategic Planning Unit; and
- Mr. Eduards Delvers, Harbour Master.
The delegation made its way to Ventspils, Latvia, where it visited the new children’s municipal library. The members also stopped by the Ventspils University College, and then attended a presentation at the Ventspils Port. While in the city, the delegation met with:
- Mr. Jānis Vītoliņš, First Deputy Chairman, Ventspils City Council;
- Ms. Inga Ozoliņa, Head of Pārventa Children’s Library, Ventspils;
- Professor Jānis Vucāns, Rector, Ventspils Augstskola (Ventspils University College);
- Professor Sergey Hilkevich, Vice Rector, Research and Development;
- Ms. Egita Udodova, Vice Rector, Study Process;
- Professor Galina Hilkevich, Dean of Faculty of Information Technologies;
- Professor Astra Skrabane, Head of Chair of Cultural Communications, Faculty of Translation;
- Ms. Liene Liepina, Student Representative; and
- Mr. Igors Udodovs, Head of Marketing and Development Department, Freeport of Ventspils Authority.
The delegation next visited Liepāja, Latvia, where it met with:
- Captain Rimants Štrimaitis, Commander-in-Chief of the Latvian Naval Forces;
- Mr. Kaspars Zelcs, Commanding Officer of the Naval Training Centre;
- Mr. Juris Timofejevs, Commanding Officer of the Baltic Naval Diving Training Centre;
- Mr. Ingars Pauris, Lieutenant Commander of the ship LVNS Virsaitis; and
- Mr. Gunārs Ansinš, Vice-Chairman, Liepāja City Council.
The delegation’s final Latvian stop was in Cēsis, where it met with the following people:
- Mr. Jānis Dūklavs, Latvian Minister of Agriculture;
- Mr. Ritvars Leitens, Director of the Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute;
- Ms. Antra Kronberga, Scientific Director of the Institute; and
- Ms. Ilze Skrabule, Selectioner of the Institute.
In Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, the delegation met with:
- His Serene Highness Crown Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein, Heir to the Principality of Liechtenstein;
- Ms. Aurelia Frick, Foreign Affairs Minister;
- Mr. Roland Marxer, Director, Office for Foreign Affairs;
- Ms. Christine Stehrenberger, Assistant Director, Office for Foreign Affairs;
- Mr. Peter Matt, Second Secretary, Office for Foreign Affairs;
- Ms. Isabel Frommet and Mr. Dominik Marxer, Office for Foreign Affairs;
- Ms. Katja Gey, Coordinator and Delegate for International Negotiations in Financial and Tax Matters, Prime Minister’s Office;
- Mr. Bruno Jehle, Secretariat of the Landtag (the Liechtenstein Parliament);
- Dr. Dieter Gunz, Head of the Graduate School of the Hochschule Liechtenstein (University);
- Professor Dr. Jan vom Brocke, Director of the Institute of Information Systems, Hochschule Liechtenstein;
- Ms. Trudi Ackermann, Director, International Office; and
- Professor Dr. Stefan Güldenberg, Head of the Institute of Entrepreneurship.
This official visit aimed to:
- improve Canada-Latvian and Canada-Liechtenstein relations;
- encourage ongoing dialogue to promote parliamentary exchanges;
- display Canada’s wide-ranging interests in these two countries;
- discuss foreign policy for both international and mutual issues;
- promote discussion on education;
- promote shared agricultural research;
- promote collaboration between Canadian and Latvian shipping ports; and
- establish good relations in all areas of contact.