Visit of the Honourable Greg Fergus, P.C., M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Republic of Austria, Republic of Estonia, and Republic of Finland

 

From March 4 to 9, 2024, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Greg Fergus, P.C., M.P., led a parliamentary delegation on a visit to the Republic of Austria, Republic of Estonia, and Republic of Finland. The delegation was composed of the Honourable John McKay, M.P.; Mr. Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.; and Ms. Jenny Kwan, M.P. Accompanying the delegation were Mr. Anthony Carricato, Director of Operations and International Affairs, Office of the Speaker, and Mr. Wassim Bouanani, Secretary to the delegation.

In Vienna, Austria, the delegation met with:

• His Excellency Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the National Council of the Republic of Austria;
• Mr. Alexander Schallenberg, Minister for European and International Affairs;
• Mr. Martin Kocher, Minister of Labour and Economy;
• Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Director-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime;
• Mr. Ernst Woller, Vienna’s State Parliament President;
• Members of the Austria-Canada-United States Parliamentary Friendship Group; and
• Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

In addition to the aforementioned meetings, the delegation participated in discussions with local government officials, experts, and leaders in the social housing sector to gain insights into innovative approaches to providing quality affordable housing programs. The delegation also had the opportunity to meet with senior academics and NGO representatives to discuss international affairs, emerging global crises, and other pressing international challenges.

Additionally, the delegation met with a multinational corporation to better understand potential investment opportunities between the two countries. The delegation also attended a briefing and participated in a discussion on lessons learned from the renovation of the Austrian Parliament building.

In Tallinn, Estonia, the delegation met with:

• Her Excellency Ms. Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia;
• His Excellency Mr. Lauri Hussar, President of the Parliament;
• Mr. Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Defence;
• Members of the Estonia-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group; and
• Members of the National Defence Committee, the Economic Affairs Committee, the Environment Committee, and government officials.

In addition, the delegation met with Estonian leaders in digital transformation technology to discuss digital service ecosystems, innovative customized IT solutions, and the use of satellite imagery for surface monitoring to assess environmental impacts and evaluate agricultural activities. Discussions were also held on advances in the space industry.

In Helsinki, Finland, the delegation met with:

• His Excellency Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland;
• His Excellency Jussi Halla-Aho, Speaker of Eduskunta;
• Ms. Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Tavio Ville, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development;
• Mr. Satonen Arto, Minister of Employment;
• Mr. Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki; and
• Members of the Finland-Canada Parliamentary group.

The delegation also held discussions with key players in the shipbuilding industry to explore the potential benefits of the acquisition of the assets of the Helsinki Shipyard in Finland by the Canadian shipbuilding group Davie.

The delegation also had the opportunity to listen to experts in social housing, who provided insights into locally designed housing solutions that cater to a diverse range of backgrounds and income levels. These solutions promote long-term social and economic growth.

Furthermore, the program encompassed a visit to a Finnish Army Training and Development Centre for special forces and helicopter operations to learn about the strategies implemented to enhance the readiness of the Finnish Armed Forces. The delegation also had the privilege of contributing to the Helsinki Central Library Oodi 's extensive collection of books by donating a selection of books by Canadian authors.

The objectives of the visits were to strengthen bilateral relations between like-minded countries and enhance cooperation to effectively address emerging challenges, including combating modern threats, promoting trade opportunities for cross-border investment, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise.

The report will be available once it has been tabled in the House of Commons.