Visit to Canada of His Excellency Cemil Çiçek, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From February 22 to 26, 2015, His Excellency Cemil Çiçek, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa and Toronto at the invitation of the Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons. The delegation was composed of Mrs. Gülten Çiçek, Mr. Salim Uslu, M.P., Mr. Sadik Badak, M.P., Mr. Ahmet Tevfik Uzun, M.P., Mr. Engin Özkoç, M.P., and Mr. Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu, M.P. Accompanying the delegation were Mr. Erdeniz Sen, Chief of Cabinet of the Speaker, Mr. Bahadir Yakut, Head of Foreign Relations and Protocol, Mr. Burhanettin Alparslan Ikiz, Chief of Security of the Speaker, Mr. Abdullah Nuri Ayvaz, Foreign Relations and Protocol Officer, Mr. Mücahit Arslan, Foreign Relations and Protocol Officer, Ms. Ayse Akinci Candogan, Interpreter, Ms. Ilknur Gönültas Kasap, Turkish Radio and Television Correspondent, Mr. Erhan Saglam, Turkish Radio and Television Cameraman, and Ms. Esin Isik, Anatolian News Agency Correspondent. His Excellency Selçuk Ünal, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Canada, Ms. Gülcan Akoguz, Minister-Counsellor, Mr. Hakan Cengiz, Counsellor, Mr. Serkan Özdemir, First Secretary, Mr. Erim Özen, Second Secretary, Mr. Ali Riza Güney, Consul General, Mr. Cüneyt Hasan Erkiliç, Vice-Consul and Ms. Ebru Demirbas Çelik, Vice-Consul, also accompanied the delegation in Ottawa and Toronto.

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

In Ottawa, the delegation met with:

• His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada;
• The Honourable Pierre Claude Nolin, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Dean Allison, M.P., Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Commons and members of the Committee; and
• Mr. Dave Van Kesteren, M.P., Chair of the Canada-Turkey Friendship Group and members of the Canada-Turkey Friendship Group.

In Toronto, the delegation toured the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and met with the Speaker, the Honourable Dave Levac, M.P.P., Mr. Paul Miller, M.P.P., Ms. Cristina Martins, M.P.P., and Ms. Sylvia Jones, M.P.P.

The visit to Canada provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and the two parliaments. Discussions on parliamentary procedure offered a different point of view on how parliaments operate. Other discussions included parliamentary cooperation, trade, energy, current affairs and security.