MFA Press Statement : Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam to Canada , 16 to 19 September 2013

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam, who is on his first official visit to Canada, met with and was hosted to dinner by Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird on 18 September 2013.


Both Ministers reaffirmed the longstanding, warm and friendly relations between Canada and Singapore. They noted with satisfaction the upswing in high-level exchanges of visits between Canada and Singapore in the past two years, including Governor General David Johnston’s visit in November 2011 and Minister Baird’s first official visit to Singapore in March 2013. Both Ministers looked forward to the further expansion and deepening of bilateral cooperation.


Minister Shanmugam expressed appreciation for Canada’s support for Singapore’s successful application for Observership in the Arctic Council. He conveyed Singapore’s interest in exploring opportunities for closer Arctic cooperation during Canada’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council. The two Ministers discussed ways to strengthen ASEAN-Canada cooperation during Singapore’s coordinatorship of the ASEAN-Canada Dialogue Relations. They also had a wide-ranging exchange of views on international and regional developments, including Syria and the Middle East.


On 17 September 2013, Minister Shanmugam had lunch with Canadian Senator Victor Oh, a prominent member of the Chinese-Canadian and business community, and Members of the Canadian Parliament Brad Butt and John Carmichael. Minister Shanmugam also met with the President of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Chair of the Arctic Council’s Senior Arctic Officials Patrick Borbey.


Minister Shanmugam will depart Ottawa for New York on 19 September 2013, where he will attend the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
19 SEPTEMBER 2013