Visit of the Honourable Dan Hays, Senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, to the Kingdom of Netherlands and to Switzerland
On November 6 to 12, 2005, the Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker of the Senate, led a parliamentary delegation composed of Honourable Senators Pierre Claude Nolin, Marilyn Trenholme Counsell and James Cowan.
This visit was at the official invitation of the President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Mrs. Yvonne Timmerman-Buck, and of the President of the Council of States Switzerland, Mr. Bruno Frick.
In the Kingdom of Netherlands, either Speaker Hays and/or the delegation met with:
- Mrs. Yvonne Timmerman-Buck, President of the Senate;
- Mr. Frans Weisglas, President of the House of Representatives;
- Mr. G.J. de Graaf, Senator;
- Members of the standing committees on foreign affairs, European affairs and defence;
- Mr. Jaap Sala, Mayor of Oostbourg; and
- Mr. Rogelio Pfirter, Director General, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The delegation took part in the ceremony commemorating the Freedom March of the Canadian Forces (32nd year). Together with the Ambassador, the Speaker laid a wreath on the Hickman Bridge. The delegation also visited Delft, the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court for the Former Yugoslavia. Speaker Hays also outlined Canada’s position at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ Tenth Session of the Council of States Parties.
In Switzerland, the delegation met with:
- His Excellency Samuel Schmid, President of the Confederation;
- Mr. Bruno Frick, President of the Council of States;
- Mrs. Thérèse Meyer-Kaelin, President of the National Council;
- Mr. Jean-Daniel Gerber, State Secretary for Economic Affairs;
- Mr. Max Binder, Member of the National Council;
- Members of the Council of States Committee on Foreign Affairs;
- Mr. Christian Bussard, Mayor of Gruyères;
- Mr. Franz Hostettmann, Mayor of Steim-am-Rhein;
- Mr. Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross;
- Mr. Edward A. Marra, Executive Vice-President, Nestlé; and
- Mr. Pierre Mirabaud, Chairman of the Swiss Bankers Association.
The delegation visited Nestlé’s head office and research facilities, the Strickhof Agriculture College, the Nordamerika Native Museum (NONAM), Gruyères and Steim-am-Rhein. Speaker Hays also gave a speech entitled “Global Challenges and priorities for Canada” to guests of honour, professors and students at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.
During the visit, the Canadian delegation sought to promote a strong parliamentary dialogue and friendship between Canada and the Netherlands and Canada and Switzerland in all areas of common interest, discussed the state of the European Union and agricultural issues and renewed the ties created by their membership in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, OSCE and La Francophonie.