OTTAWA—On the occasion of State visits to the United Mexican States, the Republic of Guatemala and the Republic of Costa Rica, Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond will be accompanied by nine Canadian delegates who will play an active role in meetings with Mexican, Guatemalan and Costa Rican civil society.
Engaged in the fields of diversity, arts and culture, civic engagement and youth, the delegates will share their experiences and knowledge with their Mexican, Guatemalan and Costa Rican counterparts. They will also contribute blogs to the Governor General’s Web site at www.citizenvoices.gg.ca.
To read the Governor General’s blog during the State visits to Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica, please visit http://www.citizenvoices.gg.ca.
Listed below are members of the official and accompanying delegations:
The Honourable Peter Kent
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)
Guillermo E. Rishchynski
Ambassador of Canada to the United Mexican States
Leeann R. McKechnie
Ambassador of Canada to Guatemala and High Commissioner of Canada to Belize
Neil Reeder
Ambassador of Canada to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras
Kim Perry Butler
Director General, North American General Affairs, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
James M. Lambert
Director General, Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Ronald Lemieux
Deputy Secretary to the Governor General of Canada
Robert Peck
Chief of Protocol to Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION:
Rick Craig
Executive Director, Justice Education Society
Youssef El-Khoury
Filmmaker and Executive Assistant, Dialogue New Brunswick
Carlos Ferrand
Screenwriter, Film Director and Director of Photography
Nicodemus Illauq
Deputy Mayor, Municipality of Clyde River, Nunavut
Jaime Koebel
Artist, Performer and Aboriginal Role Model
Professor Andrea Martinez
Director of the School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa
Tom McSorley
Executive Director, Canadian Film Institute
Mario Renaud
Executive Director, Centre for International Studies and Co-operation (CECI)
Gavin Sheppard
Co-Founder and Executive Director, The Remix Project
For the biographies of the delegates, visit http://www.gg.ca/pdf/MexGuatCostaDelegBio_eng.pdf.
The State visit to the United Mexican States will take place from December 6 to 9. The State visit to the Republic of Guatemala will take place from December 9 to 12. The State visit to the Republic of Costa Rica will take place from December 12 to 15, 2009.
Members of the public can follow the visits through the speeches, photos and videos available online daily at www.gg.ca.
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Media Information:
Julie Rocheleau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-7280
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca
