Visit of the Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Mongolia
From October 10 to 14, 2006, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Peter Milliken, led a parliamentary delegation composed of Mr. Jim Abbott, M.P., the Honourable Larry Bagnell, P.C., M.P., Mr. Patrick Kennedy, Chief of Staff of the Speaker and Mr. Tõnu Onu, Secretary to the delegation.
The visit was in response to an official invitation from the Chairman of the State Great Hural, Mr. Tsendiin Nyamdorj.
In Ulaanbaatar, the delegation met with:
- His Excellency Tsendiin Nyamdorj, Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia;
- His Excellency Nambaryn Enkhbayar, President of Mongolia;
- The Mongolia-Canada Parliamentary Group:
- Ms. Sanjaasuren Oyun, Member of the State Great Hural and Head of the Civil Will-Republic Party;
- His Excellency Miyeegombyn Enkhbold, Prime Minister of Mongolia;
- Members of the North American Mongolia Business Council;
- Members of the Democratic Party and other Opposition members of the State Great Hural; and
- Members of the Canada-Mongolia Friendship Society.
In addition to the meetings, the delegation was invited to attend a session of the State Great Hural where they were recognized by the Chairman. The delegation visited the Mongolian National University where Speaker Milliken gave an address on Canadian parliamentary democracy. At the University, the delegation also participated in “Visual Voices” A Canada-Mongolia Film Forum on Tradition, Culture and Modernity.
In Ulaanbaatar, the delegation also visited a kindergarten supported by the Canada Fund, the Bogd Khan Winter Palace Museum, the Gandan Tegchinlen Monastery and the Gobi Cashmere Company. Finally, Mr. Gavaa Batkhuu, Vice-Chair of the Mongolia-Canada Parliamentary Group hosted the delegation on a visit to his horse ranch in the province of Bulgan.
The delegation was pleased and honoured to have been invited to visit Mongolia on the historic occasion of the 800th anniversary of statehood. The members of the delegation were grateful for the opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest with Mongolian parliamentarians. These discussions gave the delegation a better appreciation and fuller understanding of Mongolia's achievements and challenges as a parliamentary democracy.