Address by Parliamentary Secretary Omar Alghabra to Australian High Commission in Canada on presentation of Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement Award
Speech
August 10, 2016 - Ottawa, Ontario
Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada’s official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.
Please allow me to begin by thanking our friend, His Excellency Tony Negus, for the warm reception he and his team at the [Australian] High Commission have put on this afternoon. I can think of no better occasion for our first meeting than to celebrate the strong Canadian-Australian relationship by presenting this award.
Since assuming responsibility as parliamentary secretary for consular affairs, I have learned two important things. The first is that we Canadians travel a lot, not unlike our Australian friends. Wherever you go, you are bound to find a Canadian and an Australian!
Those travels can sometimes result in our citizens getting into trouble.
And second, that consular officials, both at home and at missions abroad, are both professional and personally dedicated to assisting our citizens in need.
Our Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement [CACSSA] allows Canada to extend this consular dedication to citizens visiting and living in areas far from the nearest Canadian consular office.
And so, since 1986, the Agreement has been an excellent example of shared bilateral interests being operationalized each and every day. I know that both Canadians and Australians benefit from this agreement.
Today, it is my great honour to recognize the consular work of our Australian colleagues on behalf of Canada and Canadians abroad. In the case of this year’s award recipient—the consular team at the Australian Consulate-General in Bali, Indonesia—we are thankful that Australia’s team provided timely, compassionate and persistent much-needed service, which I believe ultimately saved the life of a young Canadian.
If I may name the Australian consular officials individually, I would kindly ask High Commissioner Negus to please pass on Canada’s grateful thanks to Consul Tom Walter and his dedicated team: Made Para-marta, Tino Iswara and Yudi-artha Giri.
It is reassuring to know that Canadians, whether they are travelling in Honolulu or Bali or another area covered by our agreement, will be in steady Australian hands.
Thank you again for this opportunity to underline the important work done by Australia on behalf of Canadians travelling abroad.
Associated links
Contacts
Chantal Gagnon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
343-203-1851
chantal.gagnon@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @CanadaFP
Follow Minister Dion on Twitter: @MinCanadaFA
Like us on Facebook: Canada’s foreign policy - Global Affairs Canada
Search for related information by keyword
Hon. Stéphane Dion Global Affairs Canada Government and Politics
Page details
- Date modified: