Visit of the Honourable George J. Furey, Q.C., Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Saudi Arabia and Oman
From January 15 to 20, 2017, the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable George J. Furey, Q.C., led a parliamentary delegation on a visit to Saudi Arabia and Oman. The delegation was composed of Mrs. Karen Furey, the Honourable V. Peter Harder, P.C., Senator, the Honourable Percy E. Downe, Senator, the Honourable Vernon White, Senator, Mr. Stuart Barnable, Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Senate, and Mr. François Michaud, Secretary to the delegation.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Speaker Furey had the great honour of being granted an audience with His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud. The Speaker also met with:
- His Excellency Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Ibrahim al Sheikh, Speaker of the Consultative Council (Majlis al Shura);
- His Excellency Ahmed bin Mohammed al Issa, Minister of Education;
- His Excellency Dr. Abdullah al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief ;
- Mr. Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muaammar, Secretary General of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAIICID);
- Major General Dr. Nasser al Mutairi, Director of the Mohammed bin Nayeff for Counseling and Care Center.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen ties between Canada and Saudi Arabia and encourage parliamentary dialogue by promoting parliamentary exchanges. The objectives also included underlining the range of Canada’s interests in the region, examining foreign policy in matters of shared and international interests, including terrorism and refugees, encouraging student exchanges, and maintaining good relations in all areas of trade.
In Muscat, Oman, the delegation met with:
- His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers;
- His Excellency Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Manthri, Chairman of the State Council (Majlis al Dawla);
- His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal al Ma’awali, President of the Consultative Council (Majlis al Shura);
- His Excellency Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- His Excellency Sultan bin Salim bin Said al Habsi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Planning.
The delegation’s visit was intended to improve relations between Canada and Oman and encourage ongoing parliamentary dialogue in order to promote parliamentary exchanges. The objectives also included highlighting the range of Canada’s interests in the region, seeking to establish good relations in all areas of contact, promoting educational exchanges in the region, and discussing foreign policy in matters of shared and international interests.