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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 13:19
MFA official calls for strengthening of economic ties between Latvia, Canada
In Canada the parliamentary secretary met with Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
International Trade; Stephen Fuhr,
Chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defense, and
his deputy James Bezan; and Jamie Schmale, Chair of the
Canada-Nordic-Baltic Parliamentary Friendship Group, the Latvian Foreign
Ministry said.
During the meeting at the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on
National Defense, the issues of security cooperation between Latvia and Canada
and regional security were discussed. Kalnina-Lukasevica offered thanks to
Canada for its presence in Latvia as part of NATO troops. The Chairman of the
Standing Committee on National Defense, Stephen Fuhr, confirmed that Canada
will continue its presence in Latvia, leading NATO's multinational battlegroup
for an indefinite time until security in the region is fully restored. The
conversation also addressed the opportunity for holding up the successful
defense cooperation as an example in order to strengthen trade and
people-to-people contacts.
Topics related to the promotion of trade between Latvia and Canada were
then discussed with Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister of International Trade of Canada. Both parties agreed on close
cooperation to provide tangible support for businesses in taking up the
advantages offered by the European Union-Canada Economic and Trade Agreement
(CETA).
"Similarly to Canada, small and medium-sized companies are also the
basis of the economy of Latvia," Kalnina-Lukasevica said, adding that, due
to this, special attention should be devoted to offering those companies
maximum practical support in building mutual business links.
The Latvian Foreign Ministry's parliamentary secretary and the Chair of the
Canada-Nordic-Baltic Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Canadian Parliament,
Jamie Schmale, discussed regional security issues and cooperation between
Latvia and Canada in the security sector, in view of Canada's contribution to
the deployment of the NATO multinational battalion in Latvia. The meeting also
addressed the further development of inter-parliamentary contacts and closer cooperation,
especially on trade.
In order to acquaint herself with matters important for the Latvian
community in Canada and inform Latvian Canadians about current developments in
Latvia, the Parliamentary Secretary had a meeting with members of the Ottawa
Latvian community, and Andris Kesteris,
Chairman of the Board of the Latvian National Federation in Canada.