Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossio paid a working visit to Ottawa from September 15 to 17. Within this framework, he held meetings with high authorities of the Government of Canada, the Department of Global Affairs (GAC) and with Senators and Deputies of the Canadian Parliament.
Among these meetings were highlighted those held with the Honorable Dominic Leblanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs; David Morrison, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Senator Peter Boehm and the Honorable Ali Ehsassi, Chairmen of the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees, respectively; and with the Honorable Randy Hoback, Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition on Canada-U.S. relations.
Also significant were the exchanges with representatives of the Parliamentary Friendship Group and with solidarity members, Cubans residing in Canada and the Cuban diplomatic mission.
During the meetings, various topics of bilateral interest were discussed, including the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the potential for strengthening bilateral relations.
Deputy Minister Fernandez de Cossio gave an update on the economic and social situation of our country, which has suffered the impacts of the hostile policy of the US government, following the tightening of the blockade and the arbitrary inclusion of the island in the list of state sponsors of terrorism. He also thanked Canada for its historic support in rejecting the US blockade against Cuba.
