CARP met with the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs who had some important issues to discuss. She will be making a contribution to the next issue of CARP Action Online to share important information with our members. In the meantime CARP is featured in her press release.

August 5th 2011: The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), today concluded her successful outreach tour in Toronto from August 3 to 5, 2011, to advance Canada’s priorities in the Americas and exchange views on consular affairs issues.

“This visit provided me with an opportunity to establish a good dialogue with key stakeholders, which will further Canada’s objectives of democracy, prosperity and security in the Americas,” said Minister of State Ablonczy.

During the three-day visit, Minister of State Ablonczy met with representatives of several organizations, including the Canadian International Council, the Munk School of Global Affairs, the Centre for International Governance Innovation, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, the Toronto Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Business Association.

“Our neighbours in Latin America and the Caribbean have made impressive progress in recent years,” said Minister of State Ablonczy. “Canada is pleased to both benefit from and contribute to that success through mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, security and democratic governance.”

The Minister of State’s visit also underscored the importance of exchanging views with Canadians on consular issues.

“I am really pleased to meet and speak with members of different communities about a timely and relevant topic—consular affairs and international travel,” said Minister of State Ablonczy. “While it is important to remind Canadians that our government is here to advise them, Canadians also have a responsibility to be well-prepared and informed so as to avoid possible pitfalls in foreign countries. As more and more Canadians explore the world, it is important for them to know how to plan and prepare for their trips abroad so that their travels are safe and enjoyable and they can better deal with unforeseen circumstances.”

Minister of State Ablonczy met with stakeholders on consular matters, including representatives of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, the Canadian Snowbird Association and the Ontario travel industry, as well as members of Toronto’s South Asian community active in the travel industry.