President of the Republic to depart for a state visit to Canada

Photo: Raigo Pajula

The President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and Evelin Ilves will today begin a state visit to Canada.

Throughout the history of relations between Estonia and Canada, President Ilves is the first Estonian Head of State to make an official state visit to Canada. The main goal of the visit is to strengthen the mutual political and economic relations between Estonia and Canada and to confirm the importance of trans-Atlantic co-operation.

The Estonian Head of State will meet in Ottawa with the General Governor of Canada, David Johnston; leaders of the Canadian Parliament, Noël A. Kinsella, Andrew Scheer and Peter Van Loan; and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In Toronto, President Ilves will speak about the future vision of the European Union at an influential economic forum, Economic Club of Canada; he will also meet with members of the Estonian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Estonian entrepreneurs in Canada. He will visit the IT-centred Waterloo/Kitchener technological region and the Canadian Centre of Innovation, Communitech, where he will give a public presentation on e-governance and cyber security issues. Representatives of Tallinn University of Technology and Waterloo University will sign a memorandum of co-operation there, and Estonian entrepreneurs will meet their business partners.

President Ilves will meet the local Estonian community at the Estonian House in Toronto. On 4 May, the Day of Civil Action, which has acquired an international dimension, the Estonian Head of State and Evelin Ilves will participate in "Let's Do It" 2013 by cleaning up the Jõekääru Youth Camp, which Toomas Hendrik Ilves himself attended as a child.

Evelin Ilves will visit Ottawa Children's Hospital, CHEO, where mentally ill children are also treated, and the participation of parents in their child's hospital routine is considered important. In Toronto, Evelin Ilves will visit the retirement and nursing home, Ehatare, for elderly Estonians.

The following people are included in the official delegation that is accompanying the President of the Republic: the Minister of Education and Research, Jaak Aaviksoo; the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Rein Lang; members of the Riigikogu, Liisa Pakosta and Imre Sooäär; Secretary General of the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Paavo Nõgene; Undersecretary for Europe and Transatlantic Co-operation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mart Laanemäe, Vice Rector for Research of Tallinn University of Technology, Erkki Truve and the leader of Cyber Security Programme, Marko Kääramees, member of the Management Board of Cybernetica AS, Aivar Usk; Manager of NOW! Innovations Üllar Jaaksoo.

President Ilves and Evelin Ilves will depart from Canada on 5 May.