Toronto: Opposition Chief Dr. Godwin Friday expects St. Vincent and the Grenadine (SVG) to be represented on the highest stage on the CARICOM-Canada Summit in Ottawa this week.
Friday advised a city corridor assembly right here that the rest can be “an insult” to the Vincentian diaspora and a “dereliction of responsibility.”
The Opposition Chief’s remark Sunday evening may need been a jab at Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who has not visited Canada for years after a Canadian lawyer made an allegation towards him in a media interview.
Friday, who lived and labored in Canada for years earlier than returning to his homeland 20 years in the past and holds Canadian citizenship, mentioned the Summit is “a really, essential occasion.
“As a result of we now have a particular relationship with Canada going again many, a few years,” he advised the “Hope For Residence” city corridor assembly organized by the Toronto arm of the primary opposition New Democratic Get together (NDP), of which he’s president.
“And it’s one which I imagine we will domesticate, and positively that I might, as prime minister, domesticate to hunt to make a better benefit to us,” he advised the gathering on the assembly the place he gave his get together’s evaluation of SVG and the place it desires to take the nation.
“So my understanding is that every one the CARICOM leaders are invited, and all of them will attend. Effectively, all of them are anticipated to attend,” Friday mentioned, to some laughter.
“Let me simply say this: as essential as that Summit is, if we don’t have illustration on the highest stage, it’s an insult to you, this neighborhood. And greater than that, it’s a dereliction of responsibility. As a result of the potential significance of that Summit is just too nice to take evenly,” he mentioned.
It must be made clear whether or not Gonsalves will attend the Summit. Nonetheless, a flyer on social media introduced a meet and greet with Minister of International Affairs, Keisal Peters in Ottawa on Friday, October 20.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced that Canada will welcome leaders from CARICOM to Ottawa for the primary Canada-CARICOM Summit on Canadian soil.
“I stay up for welcoming leaders from the Caribbean Group to Ottawa this month. Canada and the Caribbean Group have constructed an everlasting partnership over the past 50 years based mostly on ties between our folks and our shared dedication to democracy, the rule of regulation, and human rights. At this Summit and past, we’ll maintain working collectively to take local weather motion, construct robust economies, and maintain folks protected, now and into the long run,” Trudeau mentioned.
Trudeau will co-chair the Oct. 17-19 summit alongside Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the present chair of the regional integration grouping.
“As CARICOM celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this yr, the Summit will spotlight Canada’s robust ties with the Caribbean and supply a chance for leaders to proceed to strengthen cooperation and chart a greater future for folks in each areas,” CARICOM mentioned in an announcement.
The Summit might be held below the theme “Strategic Companions for a Resilient Future,” Trudeau and his CARICOM counterparts “will advance shared priorities, together with constructing inclusive and sustainable economies, rising commerce and funding, and selling multilateral collaboration.
“The leaders will even work to battle local weather change and tackle its impacts within the Caribbean, together with by exploring methods to enhance entry to financing for small island creating states within the Caribbean,” CARICOM mentioned.
Throughout the Summit, Trudeau will spotlight the significance of reinforcing democratic values, selling human rights and the rules-based worldwide order, and strengthening coordination on regional safety, together with responding to Haiti’s ongoing safety, political, and humanitarian crises.
The leaders will interact with Canadian enterprise leaders and traders to additional regional industrial alternatives.
As co-chair of the United Nations Sustainable Growth Objectives Advocates Group, Trudeau will take the chance to advance the SDGs – the pathway for the world to construct a extra sustainable, peaceable, and affluent future for everybody.
Canada has long-standing ties with many CARICOM nations on a variety of shared priorities, together with commerce, safety and protection, worldwide help, and governance.
This Summit is predicted to construct on Canada’s work to strengthen ties with the area, together with Trudeau’s go to to The Bahamas earlier this yr to take part within the forty fourth Convention of Heads of Authorities of CARICOM.
Greater than two million Canadians journey to CARICOM nations yearly, and over 10,000 college students from CARICOM research in Canada yearly.
In 2022, Canada’s two-way merchandise commerce with CARICOM nations reached CAD$1.8 billion (One Canadian greenback=US$0.73 cents). In 2021, bilateral commerce in companies reached CAD$3.9 billion.
Associated
