NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS GRATEFUL FOR DONATION BY THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS TO THE CANADIAN RED CROSS

“On Monday, 24 September 2018, members of the Canadian Section of the Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group met in Ottawa with five U.S. state legislators from the Council of State Governments: Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, who is also the CSG’s President for 2018, Delaware Representative Helene Keeley, Illinois Senator Elgie Sims, Montana Representative Kimberly Dudik and Wisconsin Representative Joan Ballweg,” said the Honourable Wayne Easter, P.C., M.P., Co-Chair of the Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group. “The U.S. delegation arrived in Ottawa on Sunday, in the aftermath of the tornados – and consequential damage to lives and property – that had struck the Ottawa–Gatineau region the previous Friday. During that meeting, Senator Stivers told us that the Council of State Governments had made a donation to the Canadian Red Cross to support relief and recovery efforts.”

Senator Michael L. MacDonald, Co-Chair of the Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group’s Canadian Section, concluded: “On behalf of all Ottawa–Gatineau region residents affected by the tornados, the Canadian parliamentarians at that meeting were deeply grateful for the Council of State Governments’ words of support as the region recovers from the devastation, and for the generous donation to the Canadian Red Cross to assist in those efforts. Both are a manifestation of the reality that, in times of crisis, our two countries come together. The bonds that we share are – indeed – broad and deep. Truly, in a ‘hands across the border’ way, we are families, friends and allies that provide each other with support as the situation requires. I know that I’m not alone in thanking the Council of State Governments for its friendship and support.”

The CSG serves all three branches of state government and provides regional fora – the western, midwestern, southern and eastern regional conferences – through which ideas and insights are exchanged with a view to shaping public policy. Additional information on the CSG can be found at www.csg.org.

The views expressed in this news release are specific to the Canadian Section of the Canada–United States IPG. For this reason, they may not reflect the views of U.S. counterparts.

The Canada–United States IPG aims to find points of convergence in respective national policies, to initiate dialogue on points of divergence, to encourage the exchange of information and to promote better understanding among legislators on shared issues of concern. Additional information on the IPG can be found at www.parl.gc.ca/iia/us.

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For further information:

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald, Senator, Co-Chair
Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group - 613-995-1866

Hon. Wayne Easter, P.C., M.P., Co-Chair
Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group - 613-992-2406

Ms. Miriam Burke, Association Secretary
Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group - 613-944-4238