March 13, 2015 – Toronto, Ontario – Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today completed a successful meeting with Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan, who is visiting Canada in the context of Ireland’s Saint Patrick’s Day global outreach initiative. The meeting was aimed at bolstering commercial relations between the two countries.
The two ministers discussed a number of topics of mutual interest, including the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, the threats posed by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Russia’s provocations in Ukraine and the nuclear threat posed by Iran.
The ministers also announced the establishment of an educational scholarship program, developed by the Irish and Canadian governments in partnership with the Ireland Canada University Foundation, to support an academic exchange between the two countries. The James M. Flaherty Scholarship Program was named in honour of the late Jim Flaherty, Canada’s minister of finance from 2006 to 2014, in recognition of the considerable work undertaken by Mr. Flaherty in supporting Canada’s relations with Ireland during his lifetime.
Canada and Ireland share deep historical ties, with over 4.5 million Canadians claiming Irish heritage. In recent years, there has been a growing dialogue and increased cooperation and sharing of best practices between the two countries on development assistance, education, parliamentary reform, health care and other social and economic policies.
This was Minister Flanagan’s first official visit to Canada.
Quotes
“The Irish have a long and rich history in Canada dating back centuries. With over 4.5 million Canadians claiming Irish heritage, the Irish community makes up an important part of Canadian society. The establishment of this scholarship will contribute to greater collaboration between Canada and Ireland while also supporting current and future leaders in their academic pursuits.”
– Rob Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs
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