Visit to Canada of the Honourable Matlapeng Ray Molomo, M.P., Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Botswana

From October 24 to 27, 2004, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Botswana visited Ottawa, at the invitation of the Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker of the Senate.

While in Canada, the Speaker of the National Assembly met with the following officials: the Honourable Dan Hays, Senator, Speaker of the Senate; the Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons; the Honourable David Kilgour, P.C., M.P.; the Honourable Jean Augustine, P.C., M.P., Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole of the House of Commons; the Honourable Wayne Easter, P.C., M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food; the Honourable Paddy Torsney, P.C., M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation; and the Honourable Raynell Andreychuk, Senator, Co-Chair, Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association.

The visit was an opportunity to continue the cordial relationship between Canada and Botswana. Particular emphasis was placed on one of the main challenges for Botswana, the fight against HIV/AIDS. Discussions were held on the political situation in Botswana, the relocation of its aboriginal minority (Baswara or the San people), the level of aid by Canada through the existing programs and, also, the country's main economic sectors, the diamond industry and livestock. Speaker Molomo also visited his alma mater, the University of Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and a beef production farm in Eastern Ontario.

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The Honourable Dan Hays, Senator, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, officially greets the Honourable Matlapeng Ray Molomo, PH., CONM., M.P., Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Botswana

From left to right: The Honourable Terry Stratton, Senator, the Honourable Raynell Andreychuk, Senator, the Honourable Dan Hays, Senator, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, the Honourable Matlapeng Ray Molomo, PH., CONM., M.P., Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Botswana, Mrs. Kathy Hays, the Honourable Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Senator, and Ms. Keabe S. Tshukudu, Principal Clerk Assistant, Official of the National Assembly

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The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, meets with the Honourable Matlapeng Ray Molomo, PH., CONM., M.P., Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Botswana

From left to right: The Honourable Matlapeng Ray Molomo, PH., CONM., M.P., Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Botswana and the Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada