Visit of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, to the United Nations, New York, New York, United States of America

On November 13 and 14, 2014, the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, made an official visit to the United Nations in New York, United States of America. The Speaker was accompanied by Mrs. Ann Kinsella, Ms. Janelle Feldstein, Chief of Staff of the Speaker of the Senate, and Mr. Gérald Lafrenière, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges.

At the United Nations, the Speaker:

• met with Mr. Jehangir Khan, Director of the UN Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force; and
• participated in the symposium on The Protection of Religious Minorities Worldwide, which was co-organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and Pax Romana.

While in New York, the Speaker met with:

• His Excellency Ali’ioaiga Feturi Elisaia, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations;
• His Excellency Damiano Beleffi, Ambassador accredited to Canada, Deputy Permanent Representative of San Marino to the United Nations;
• His Excellency Ry Tuy, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the United Nations;
• His Excellency Jeffrey Salim Waheed, Minister, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations and Deputy High Commissioner to Canada;
• His Excellency Carlos Filomeno Agostinho das Neves, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sao Tome and Principe to the United Nations;
• Her Excellency Kunzang Choden Namgyel, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations;
• Her Excellency Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Mauritania to the United Nations; and
• Mr. Banissadre Souffou, Executive Assistant to the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Union of the Comoros to the United Nations.

In addition, the Speaker met with His Excellency Yuriy A. Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations and Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine.

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. 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, security and human rights; encouraging ongoing parliamentary dialogue by further promoting parliamentary exchanges; discussing foreign policies with respect to issues of international and mutual interest; and pursuing good relations in all fields of contact. This visit also focused on the current situation in the Ukraine and on actions at the United Nations to combat terrorism around the world. The symposium at the United Nations allowed participants to discuss the means of protecting religious minorities and the role of the international community, national governments and faith-based organizations as well as religious and political leaders in promoting religious pluralism and religious freedom as an inherent human right.