As a guest of the Greek diaspora in Canada for the celebration of the national anniversary of March 25, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis visited Toronto and Montreal. During his presence, he emphasized to the diaspora that “the fact that we recently voted for postal voting in parliamentary elections brings us even closer together. You can now participate more actively in Greece’s political affairs. This is something we want, because Greeks are not only the 10 million Greeks living in Greece, but also the several million Greeks in Canada, the USA, Australia and everywhere else on Earth.”
The role of the Greek diaspora in Canada as a bridge of cooperation between the two countries
During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister held a meeting with Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, covering a wide range of issues both regarding recent international developments and bilateral matters. The meeting revealed extensive understanding between the two sides as NATO partners, as well as the high level of economic relations, with significant investments from the Canadian side in Greece and continuous growth of Greek exports to Canada. A common finding was the important role of the Greek diaspora in Canada as a bridge of cooperation between the two countries. On the sidelines of the diaspora events, Kostis Hatzidakis also had a brief meeting with Health Minister Marjorie Michel.
Hatzidakis meets with Archbishop of Canada and all the Arctic
Kostis Hatzidakis first visited Toronto and met with Archbishop Sotirios of Canada and all the Arctic, while having the opportunity to speak with students of the Theological Academy. He also visited the Greek Orthodox School of Transfiguration of the Archdiocese.
The Deputy Prime Minister also had a working lunch with the administration of the Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and representatives of the business community, discussing attracting investments to Greece. In Toronto, he also met with federal MPs of Greek origin Peter Fragiskatos and Costas Menegakis, as well as Toronto provincial MP Effie Triantafilopoulos.
The Deputy Prime Minister then traveled to Montreal, where he participated in events by the Municipality of Laval and the Greek community for the Greek Revolution. On Sunday, the Deputy Prime Minister attended the official doxology at the Holy Church of the Annunciation in Montreal. He then served as master of ceremonies, together with Montreal Mayor Soraya Fernandes Ferrada, at the major Greek diaspora parade, which included Greek schools, cultural associations and Greek community organizations.
Additionally, Kostis Hatzidakis held successive meetings with the Hellenic Board of Trade, diaspora Senator Leo Housakos and MPs Annie Koutrakis and Emmanuella Lambropoulos. Meanwhile, Kostis Hatzidakis met with the administrative councils of diaspora organizations and New Democracy organizations in Toronto and Montreal.
