Visit of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Belgium and Republic of Croatia
On August 22 and 23, 2006, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, visited Belgium. During the visit, the Speaker met with:
- Ms. Anne-Marie Lizin, Speaker of the Senate of Belgium;
- Mr. Herman De Croo, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Belgium;
- Ambassador Minuto Rizzo, NATO Deputy Secretary General;
- General Raymond Henault, CMM, CD, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee; and
- Representatives to the Canadian Joint Delegation to the North Atlantic Council.
The Speaker's objectives for the visit were to:
- renew and strengthen the ties between Canada and Belgium;
- discuss Canada's foreign policy issues with Canada's representatives to NATO;
- meet with a representative to NATO to discuss the current and future challenges facing this international organization.
From August 27 to 30, 2006, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, led a parliamentary delegation composed of the Honourable Gérald J. Comeau to the Republic of Croatia. During the visit, the delegation met with, among others:
- Mr. Stjepan Mesic, President of the Republic of Croatia;
- Mr. Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia;
- Mr. Vladimir Seks, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia;
- Ms. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Croatia;
- Representatives of local and regional governments.
The delegation's objectives for the visit were to:
- renew and strengthen the ties between Canada and Croatia;
- point out and emphasize Canada's various interests while continuing to maintain good relations in all areas of mutual interest;
- discuss Canada's and Croatia's foreign policy with respect to matters of international interest, trade and education between the two countries.