Canada-Spain relations on agenda
November 27, 2009
Ottawa - As Spain prepares to take its six-month turn in the European Union presidency in January 2010, the new Ambassador of Spain to Canada says relations with Canada will be an important focus. Canada-Spain relations was one of several topics His Excellency Eudaldo Mirapeix discussed with Peter Goldring, Member of Parliament for Edmonton East and member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, at a Parliament Hill meeting in Mr. Goldring’s office.
Also of common interest, Peter Goldring is a member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), a 56 country organization that includes Canada and the United States. Mr. Goldring is also Vice-Chair of the Canada-Caribbean, Canada-Cuba Canada-Mexico, Canada-Ukraine and Canada-Poland Parliamentary committees as well as being a member of FIPA, the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas.
Also discussed were Canada and Spain’s role in Latin America, especially with regards to Cuba, Mr. Goldring’s work on Canadian unity and the European Union’s opposition to the annual Canadian seal harvest.
“There are a number of areas, such as Cuba, where Canada and Spain can work constructively together,” Mr. Goldring says. “I see our discussions today as the beginning of an excellent working relationship.”
Mr. Mirapeix was appointed Spanish ambassador to Canada earlier this year and presented his credentials to the Governor General in May. He previously served as ambassador to Egypt, Sudan, Cuba, Jordan and Israel.
Peter Goldring was first elected to Parliament in 1997 and has been re-elected four times to represent Edmonton East in the House of Commons.