News

On 4 May, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis took part in the Baltic evening at the Parliament of Canada. During the event the Minister acquainted the guests with the main points of Lithuania’s foreign policy. The Minister gave an overview of issues that are important for Lithuania, Canada and the European Union, and presented business development opportunities in the country.

The event was organized by the Baltic Federation in Canada, which joins together emigrants from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Every two years, the Federation organizes the solemn evening, during which a high-ranking guest from the Baltic States gives the main speech.

This year’s event was attended by over two hundred guests, including Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney, who is responsible for relations with the local communities, Chair of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee Raynell Andreychuk, one of the opposition leaders Bob Rae, heads of thirty diplomatic missions in Ottawa.

Minister J.Kenney conveyed greetings to the guests of the evening from Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and Minister of International Trade Peter Van Loan.

                                        Minister A.Ažubalis presented Lithuania’s links with Canada: NATO operation in Afghanistan, joint activities in the Community of Democracies and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The Minister stressed that as a current Presidency of the Community of Democracies and the upcoming chairmanship of the OSCE, Lithuania was closely following developments in its neighbouring countries, including Ukraine.

On the same day, Minister A.Ažubalis held bilateral meetings with Minister J.Kenney, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon, Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay, Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Milliken and Mayor of Ottawa Larry O’Brien.

On 5 May, the Minister is meeting with one of the opposition leaders B.Rae and is having a business lunch with Members of Parliament of Canada. Minister A.Ažubalis is returning to Vilnius on 6 May.