Visit of the Honourable Geoff Regan, P.C., M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, to the United Nations, New York, New York, United States of America
On March 13 to 15, 2018, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Geoff Regan, P.C., M.P., made an official visit to the United Nations in New York, United States of America. The Speaker was accompanied by Mr. Brian Underhill, Chief of Staff, Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Ms. Mireille Aubé, Visit Officer.
At the United Nations, the Speaker:
- met with His Excellency Miroslav Lajcak, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations;
- participated in meetings during the sixty-second session of the Commission on the Status of Women; and
- attended a meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The Speaker also held bilateral meetings at the United Nations Headquarters with;
- Her Excellency Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands;
- Her Excellency Hala Latouf, Jordan's Minister of Social Development; and
- Her Excellency Neziha Labidi, Tunisia's Minister of Family, Women and Children.
During his stay in New York, the Speaker met with:
- Mr. Marc-André Blanchard, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations; and
- Co-hosted, with Ambassador Blanchard, a lunch for non-resident Ambassadors to Canada based in New York City. In attendance were Ambassadors of Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, San Marino, Bhutan, Djibouti, Maldives, Seychelles, Samoa, Cambodia and Tonga.
The objectives of the visit were to enhance relations between Canada and the United Nations, as well as bilateral relations with a number of countries whose permanent representatives to Canada are located in New York City. This included highlighting the range of Canada's interests with these countries, promoting educational exchanges, emphasizing Canada's interests with the United Nations in the areas of international development, gender equality, security and human rights; encouraging ongoing parliamentary dialogue by further promoting parliamentary exchanges; and discussing foreign policies with respect to issues of international and mutual interest.