Press Release Department: Federal - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada

Andrew Bennett, Canada’s ambassador for religious freedom, issued a statement denouncing the 10-year prison sentence and 1,000 lashes that Saudi human rights activist Raif Badawi is scheduled to receive starting Jan. 10, 2015. The full statement is available online. Call 343-203-7700 Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular) Lynne Yelich (Blackstrap, Sask.) congratulated SED Systems in Saskatoon on its $11.7million contract to … Read more

International Trade Minister Ed Fast (Abbotsford, B.C.), Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford (Kenora, Ont.) and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) welcomed on Jan. 7, 2015 the opening of India’s market to Canadian ash wood and timber products. The full release is available online. Call 613-992-7332. International Development Minister Christian Paradis (Megantic-L’Erable, Que.) made a statement on Jan. 7, 2015 announcing additional humanitarian assistance to Iraq and Syria. The full statement … Read more

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) launched the Digital Public Square project, in partnership with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs. This $9-million initiative will increase digital space for free expression and open political dialogue in parts of the world where citizen participation is under threat. The full statement is available online. Call 343-203-7700. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, … Read more

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) issued a statement regarding the Palestinian Authority. “The decision by the Palestinian Authority to seek to unilaterally accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, among other international bodies, is a concerning and dangerous development.” The full statement is available online. Call 343-203-7700. On Jan.1 2015, International Trade Minister Ed … Read more

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) issued a statement in response to the European Union General Court’s decision to remove Hamas from the EU’s list of terrorist organizations: “We are deeply concerned by the decision of the EU General Court to annul, on procedural grounds, the measures against Hamas. Canada considers Hamas to be … Read more

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) met with Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, during Baird’s visit to New York City. The two discussed international efforts to end child, early and forced marriage. “The unanimous support of United Nations members for the resolution on child, early and forced marriage co-led by Canada and … Read more

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) visited Facebook headquarters and met with tech leaders in Silicon Valley to discuss how Canada can leverage digital tools in advancing its foreign policy. In meetings at Facebook, including one with Elliot Schrage, vice president of Global Communications, Marketing and Public Policy, Baird discussed how extremism and terrorism … Read more

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights Deepak Obhrai (Calgary East, Alta.) issued a statement on the first anniversary of conflict in South Sudan. The full statement is available online. Call 343-203-7700. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) issued a statement on the second anniversary of the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, a prominent … Read more

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (Ottawa West-Nepean, Ont.) welcomed the announcement in Melbourne, Australia, by Tony Abbott, Australia’s Prime Minister and Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s President, that Australia would open an interim embassy co-located in the Canadian embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. “Canada and Australia share a historic friendship,” said Baird. “We continue to be partners in the development of Ukraine and are working … Read more

International Cooperation Minister and Minister for La Francophonie Christian Paradis (Megantic-L’Erable, Que.) reiterated Canada’s support for the people of the Philippines affected by Typhoon Hagupit, which has claimed 22 lives and forced the evacuation of over 1.6 million people.  The full release is available online. Call 343-203-6238. At a Clinton Foundation event commemorating the 20th anniversary … Read more