Ottawa- Dozens of members of the Canadian Parliament and Senate, as well as government officials and other leading public figures from Canada and Turkic nations attended the Second Annual Turkic-Canadian Convention organized by the Anatolian Heritage Federation, the biggest umbrella organization of Turkic Canadians, advocating for the strong ties between the people of the Great White North and Turkic region.
Moderated by MPs and Senators, panel sessions featured prominent experts in their respective fields who elaborated on issues focusing on Canada’s Economic Diversification with Eurasia, Strategic Partnership and Cooperation in Central Asia and the Caucasus and Silk Road initiatives and its potential implications to Canada. In addition, more than 20 MPs and Senators expressed their special support to this program by being part of the honorary host committee.
“Canada needs to increase its presence in the region” said Hon. William Graham, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defense. Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration highlighted the increasing role of the Turkic-Canadian Community in fostering bilateral relations between Canada and Eurasian countries in his keynote address at the luncheon program of the convention.
Kicked off with Welcome Reception on Sunday, November 2nd, 2014, the convention continued with full day of events on Monday, November 3rd, 2014 at Fairmont Chateau Laurier and hosted over 30 MPs, Senators and MPPs, more than 25 government officials and diplomatic mission representatives and close to 40 international business stakeholders from US, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Among the honorary guests of the convention were Hon. Andrew Scheer, Speaker of House of Commons, Hon. Noel Kinsella, Speaker of Senate, Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Hami Yildirim, MP from Turkey, Hon. Peter Milliken, Former Speaker of House of Commons, Ramil Huseynli, Charge D’Affair of Republic of Azerbaijan and Alexander Latsabidze, Ambassador of Georgia to Canada.
This convention played a cornerstone role in developing political, economic and social ties between Canada and six Turkic countries–Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz
Republic and Turkmenistan. The convention, which was sponsored by Today’s Zaman, Turkish Review magazine, Business Networking magazine, Rethink Institute along with Azerbaijan’s İpek Yolu (Silk Road) Business Association, Turkish Canadian Chamber of Commerce (TCCC) and the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), has become a major platform for key stakeholders of these nations to meet with their counterparts in the nation’s capital.
