President Shimon Peres leaves on Sunday for a five-day state visit to Canada,
strengthening the already firm ties between the two countries.
The
president will travel to Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, where he will meet with
politicians and dignitaries, mainly to discuss the threat of a nuclear Iran, the
Arab Spring and its effects on the region and relations between Israel and her
neighbors.
On Monday morning, Canada’s Governor-General David Lloyd
Johnston will honor Peres with a welcome reception, after which the two men will
have a working meeting.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will then give the
president a second reception at Parliament House, after which they will
meet.
Peres will also meet with Opposition leader Bob Rae, Ontario
Premier Dalton McGuinty, Quebec Premier Jean Charest and other
dignitaries.
In addition to drumming up greater support for sanctions
against Iran, Peres will focus on enhancing the already excellent relationship
between Israel and Canada through increased diplomatic, scientific and economic
cooperation.
On Tuesday, Peres will attend the signing ceremony of a
memorandum of understanding between the Royal Society of Canada and the Israel
Academy of Sciences and Humanities, after which he will participate in a
ceremonial tree planting in the grounds of Rideau Hall, which is the official
residence and work place of the governor general of Canada and which also
contains special accommodation for visiting dignitaries.
On Tuesday
evening, Canadian Jewish leaders will host a gala event in honor of Israel’s
64th anniversary of independence, and the president will be the guest of honor.
Baird will also participate in this event.
On Wednesday, Peres will be in
Toronto, where following a working meeting with McGuinty, Peres will contribute
to a discussion on Canadian and Israeli cooperation on brain research. Later he
will be the guest of the Jewish community of Toronto and will address a meeting
hosted by the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater
Toronto.
Political analyst and television commentator David Frum will
then interview Peres live on stage at the Sony Center for the Performing
Arts.
On Thursday Peres will fly to Montreal where he will meet with the
Jewish community in the Shaar Hashamayim synagogue, the oldest and largest
synagogue in Canada which dates back to 1846. He will then meet with Charest
before boarding the return flight to Israel. Contrary to his usual custom, Peres
will not fly El Al.
For budgetary reasons, he will be flown to and from
Canada via Air Canada.
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