Visit to Canada of Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, President of the Senate (Dewan Negara) of Malaysia, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From April 11 to 15, 2005, the President of the Senate (Dewan Negara) of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh led a delegation of parliamentarians composed of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ir. Tuan Wong Foon Meng, Senator Dato' Benedict Bujan Tembak, Senator Tuan Osman bin Bungsu, Senator Puan Nosimah binti Hashim, the Secretary of the Senate, Datuk Zamani Sulaiman, and the Secretary of the Delegation, Encik Salleh bin Abas, on an official visit to Ottawa, Edmonton, Banff and Calgary at the invitation of the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Dan Hays.

The delegation, while in Ottawa, held meetings with the following:

The Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker of the Senate;
Members of the Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group;
Members of the Special Senate Committee on the Anti-terrorism Act;
The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister;
The Honourable Senator David Smith, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules, Procedures and Rights of Parliament;
Members of the Canada-ASEAN Friendship Group;
The Honourable Raymond Chan, Minister of State for Multiculturalism;
The Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons;
The Honourable Senators Poy, Watt, Gill and St. Germain to discuss Aboriginal and multicultural issues; and
Members of the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The delegation visited the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. They met with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Honourable Ken Kowalski, and members of the Assembly in Edmonton and visited Banff National Park in Alberta.

The aim of the visit was to develop relations between Canada and Malaysia and to discuss issues of common interest such as Canada’s development as a multicultural society, the situation of Aboriginal peoples in Canada and Malaysia, and security issues in the world today. During the discussions it was pointed out that all Muslim countries are not the same, therefore, Canada should view Malaysia primarily as a fellow Commonwealth country rather than as a Muslim country. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of “parliamentary diplomacy” in addressing issues of common interest to Canada and Malaysia, and in their relations with other countries.

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The Honourable Dan Hays, Senator, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, officially greets the Malaysian delegation.

From left to right: Puan Nosimah, Tuan Osman, Dato' Benedict Bujan Tembak, Ir. Tuan Wong Foon Meng, Senators, the Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker of the Senate, Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, President of the Senate (Dewan Negara), Pierre Ringuette, John Lynch-Staunton, Norman K. Atkins, Senators, and Datuk Zamani Sulaiman, Secretary of the Senate.

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The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, officially greets the Malaysian delegation.

From left to right: Puan Nosimah, Dato' Benedict Bujan Tembak, Senators, Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, President of the Senate (Dewan Negara), the Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons, Ir. Tuan Wong Foon Meng, Senator, Datuk Zamani Sulaiman, Secretary of the Senate, and Senator Tuan Osman.