Prime Minister Stephen Harper today met with Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, during her official visit to Canada, from April 23 to 27. The two leaders announced initiatives that will strengthen security cooperation, expand defence links and broaden people to people ties.
“Canada shares a strong, historic relationship with Trinidad and Tobago as members of the Commonwealth,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The initiatives announced today will help strengthen the ties between our countries as we work together towards a more prosperous and secure hemisphere.”
Following a bilateral meeting, the two leaders announced: the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Canadian Commercial Corporation and the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago; the signing of a MoU reinforcing Trinidad and Tobago’s longstanding membership in the Department of National Defence’s Military Training and Cooperation Program; the cross-accreditation of a Canadian Defence Attaché to Trinidad and Tobago, which will serve to further expand the defence links between the two countries; and the signing of a MoU between Brock University and the University of Trinidad and Tobago that will create opportunities for increased cooperation between students and academics.
Canada and Trinidad and Tobago celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2012, a relationship further strengthened by those living in Canada with ties to Trinidad and Tobago. This is the first official visit by a Prime Minister of Trinidad in Tobago to Canada in nearly half a century.
