Canada

By Ed Smith.

When Laura Edell entered “Havana” into Toronto Dominion Bank’s (TD) Expedia-powered travel booking portal, the response was not a warning, a policy notice or legal explanation.

Instead, the screen displayed a single message: “Sorry, it seems we have taken a wrong turn.”

There were no search results. No indication that travel to Cuba was restricted and no way for the family to use the travel reward points to book a trip to the island. It was simply not an option through the bank’s booking system. 

WestJet launched a new flight to Havana, Cuba from Toronto on Thursday (Dec. 18) – a new service that will operate twice per week.

“We are thrilled to continue expanding the range of tourism products and connectivity available to travellers from Canada,” said Gihana Galindo, director of the Cuba Tourism Office in Toronto, in a press release.

The Ambassador of Cuba, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, attended a reception hosted for the diplomatic corps accredited in Canada by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand.

The Cuban diplomat was pleased to meet with the Minister again to thank her for the recent aid approved by the Canadian government for the island to address the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Cuba and Canada share a long-standing relationship in numerous sectors, including political dialogue, trade, and cooperation.

Full text of the remarks delivered by the Ambassador of Cuba to Canada, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, at the Assembly of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Cuba, which met in the Canadian Parliament on December 3, 2025.

Honorable Senators and Members of Parliament:

It is a true privilege to address you. I would like to express my special gratitude to two friends, the co-chairs, Senator Judy White and Member of Parliament Gabriel St. Marie, for the invitation.