Visit to Canada of His Excellency Franco Marini, President of the Senate of the Italian Republic

From September 4 to 7, 2007, His Excellency Franco Marini, Senator, Speaker of the Senate of the Italian Republic, travelled to Ottawa and Toronto at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate.

In Ottawa, Speaker Marini met with:

• Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada;
• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Senator, Speaker of the Senate; and
• The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons.

The visit made it possible to strengthen ties between the Parliament of Canada and the Senate of the Italian Republic and discuss ways to make them even stronger. Speaker Marini signed a declaration of intent with Speaker Kinsella during an official ceremony in the Senate of Canada. This declaration of intent will solidify the ties between the two upper houses and increase exchanges between officers of the institutions.

Speaker Marini also met with members of Ottawa’s Italian community and delivered a speech at the University of Ottawa on federalism and democracy.

In Toronto, Speaker Marini met with the Abruzzese community and visited the Columbus Centre, the Art Gallery of Ontario, as well as the Galleria Italia.