PM Kamla arrives in Canada for 4-day official visit

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar during a bi-lateral meeting at the sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Saturday April 14, 2012.
Photo credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar arrived in Toronto Tuesday night for a brief official visit to Canada on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper.

During the 4-day visit she is scheduled to hold discussions with Harper on several matters of mutual interest, including Canada-CARICOM relations and trade and investment between Trinidad and Tobago and Canada.

Members of her powerful delegation include Trade Minister Vasant Bharath who would be involved with a trade exposition in Toronto at the Sheraton Centre.

Persad-Bissessar leaves for Ottawa Wednesday where she would attend a special event at the Trinidad & Tobago High commission. 

The next day she would pay a courtesy call on the Governor General of Canada, David Johnston and meet with the Thomas J. Mulcair, Leader of the
Opposition. 

Later that day she and Harper would fly to Toronto for a Business Reception hosted by both Prime Ministers at the Royal York Hotel.

While in Canada, Persad-Bissessar and her Ministers would actively explore opportunities for further engagement in areas such as energy, national security, trade, public sector modernization, maritime services and development planning systems.

Commenting on her visit, the Honourable Prime Minister said that she was looking forward to “advancing the fifty (50) plus years of diplomatic relations which Trinidad and Tobago and Canada share.”

Trinidad and Tobago and Canada enjoy a longstanding and dynamic relationship, the origins of which precede the achievement of Independence by Trinidad and Tobago on August 31, 1962. 

Formal diplomatic relations between Trinidad and Tobago and Canada were established on that date, Canada being among the first to recognize Trinidad and Tobago as a new nation, with the last recorded official visit of a Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago to Canada being that of Dr. the Honourable Eric Williams at the invitation of the Prime Minister Lester Pearson in July 1966.

During the Prime Minister's absence, Labour Minister Errol Mc Leod will act as Prime Minister. Persad-Bissessar is scheduled to return to Trinidad on Saturday 27th April, 2013.