Visit to Canada of His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, Speaker of the Majlis Ash-Shura, Consultative Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From November 9 to 11, 2014, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, Speaker of the Majlis Ash-Shura, led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, and the Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons.  The delegation was composed of His Excellency Dr. Sadaka Yahia Fadil, Shura Council Member; His Excellency Dr. Tarek Ali Fadaak, Shura Council Member; Her Excellency Dr. Selwa Abdullah Alhazzaa, Shura Council Member; His Excellency Dr. Awad Khozam Alasmari, Shura Council Member;  Mr. Amr Abdulaziz Almadhi, Director of Public Relations and Protocol; Mr. Mohammed Hamad Albrahim, Director of Protocol; Mr. Ali Abdullah Alkhodair, Assistant Director of Media; Mr. Abdullah Saad Alfraikh, Interpreter; Mr. Yoousef Rashed A. Alharbi, Advisor at the Office of the President; Ms. Mashael Bint Fahad Al Saud, Public Relations Officer; Mr. Khalid Mohammed Binkhanen, Photographer; Mr. Bassam Abdulaziz Albahar, Cameraman; Mr. Fahad Mohammed Almarshad, Protocol Officer; and Mr. Fahad Abdulaziz A. Alomer, Advisor at the Office of the President. His Excellency Naif Bin Bandir Alsudairy, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Canada, also accompanied the delegation during their stay.

In Ottawa, the delegation held meetings with:

• His Excellency the Right Honourable David L. Johnston, Governor General of Canada;

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate.

The visit allowed the two countries to foster productive bilateral relations and the delegates to learn more about Canadian issues. Many subjects were discussed, including the various political issues in the Middle East, the price of oil and its production, the development of interparliamentary relations, and the importance of inter-religious and intercultural dialogue. The delegation visited the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and met with its president and chief executive officer, Dr. Thierry Mesana.