Visit to Canada of His Excellency Dr. Jaime José Matos da Gama President of the Assembly, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Portuguese Republic

From April 28 to May 4, 2007, at the invitation of the Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons, His Excellency Jaime José Matos da Gama, President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, led a parliamentary delegation to Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Ottawa. The delegation was composed of Mr. Ricardo Manuel de Amaral Rodrigues, M.P.; Mr. João Bosco Soares Mota Amaral, M.P.; Mr. José Honório Faria Gonçalves Novo, M.P.; and Ms. Teresa Margarida Figueiredo de Vasconcelos Caeiro, M.P. The official delegation was also accompanied by His Excellency João Pedro da Silveira Carvalho, Ambassador of the Portuguese Republic to Canada, Ms. Maria Manuela Fischer, Diplomatic Advisor to the President, and, Mr. Fernando Anjos Lopes, Security Lieutenant.

While in Canada, the delegates had an opportunity to participate in several meetings in Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Ottawa. They met with the following officials:

In Vancouver:

• Mr. Tim Wake, Acting Mayor of the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

In Victoria:

• Her Honour the Honourable Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; and
• The Honourable Bill Barisoff, M.L.A., Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

In Toronto:

• His Worship David Miller, Mayor of the city of Toronto.

In Ottawa:

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Senator, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable Peter Mackay, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Commons;
• Members of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association; and
• Members of the Canada-Portugal Interparliamentary Group.

The visit was an opportunity to pursue relations with federal, provincial and municipal government officials. It was also an occasion to visit several Portuguese Communities in Canada. Discussions were held on the functioning of parliament in Canada and on the topics of immigration, fisheries and international collaboration. The delegation of the Portuguese Republic showed a particular interest in enhancing the mechanisms for exchanges and partnerships between both countries in several areas of interest.