The President of the Council of States, Ivo Bischofberger (CVP, AI), will be paying an official visit to Canada between 20 and 25 October. He will hold talks in Ottawa with the Speaker of the House of Commons as well as with other parliamentary representatives. The programme also includes meetings with the local Swiss community and business representatives and a visit to the International Civil Aviation Organisation in Montreal.

At their meeting, Mr Bischofberger and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Geoff Regan, will discuss bilateral relations between Switzerland and Canada. The two countries share common interests and values as well as having federalist structures and a multilingual population. Mr Bischofberger will also meet with the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Senator Raynell Anreychuk, and the Chair of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, Scott Sims. The focus of that discussion will be on the intensive economic exchanges between the two countries, which have been regulated since mid-2009 by a free trade agreement concluded with Canada by Switzerland and its EFTA partners.

During his official visit to Canada, Mr Bischofberger will have the opportunity to meet members of the Swiss community in Toronto and Montreal and Ottawa. The agenda also includes meetings with the president of the Fédération des sociétés suisses de l'est du Canada, representatives of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) in Canada, and representatives from the Canadian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and the Swiss Business Hub. He will also take time to meet Swiss professors teaching at Canadian universities. While in Montreal he will pay a visit to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Canada are very good. Canada is Switzerland’s second largest trade partner on the American continent. And Switzerland is among the top ten foreign investors in Canada. Swiss firms employ around 34,180 staff in Canada (2015 figures). As of the end of 2016, 40,280 Swiss nationals were registered in Canada.

Mr Bischofberger will be accompanied on his visit by Martina Buol, the Deputy Secretary General of the Federal Assembly.

Meeting between Ivo Bischofberger, President of the Council of States and Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons
Meeting between Ivo Bischofberger, President of the Council of States and Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons

 

Martina Buol (Deputy Secretary General of the Federal Assembly), Ivo Bischofberger, Geoff Regan, Beat Nobs (Ambassador of Switzerland to Canada)
Martina Buol (Deputy Secretary General of the Federal Assembly), Ivo Bischofberger, Geoff Regan, Beat Nobs (Ambassador of Switzerland to Canada)