fbpx
Subscribe Menu

New Canadian Ambassador To Baltics meets with community leaders and members

Mar 22, 2019 Estonian Life No. 12 2019


Canada's ambassador to the Baltic States, Kevin Rex, joined the leaders of the Canadian Baltic Communities at the Latvian Centre in Toronto to update community members about Canada's diplomatic and security engagement in the Baltics.

Community leaders thanked the ambassador, and the government for their commitment to the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia. They also congratulated the government about the recent announcement to expand Canada's sanction regime against Russian government entities responsible for the illegal occupation of Crimea, the Kremlin's ongoing aggression against Eastern Ukraine as well as the November Kerch Strait incident - where Russian officials detained 12 Ukrainian sailors, who remain in prison. Former Russian Railways chief, Vladimir Yakunin, who had been kept off of Canada's sanctions lists through Canadian corporate lobbying and Rosneft CEO, Igor Sechin, both of whom are close associates of Vladimir Putin, were also added to Canada's sanctions lists.
From left: Andris Kesteris, President, Latvian Federation in Canada and Baltic Federation in Canada; Ambassador Kevin Rex; President, Estonian Central Council in Canada, Central and Eastern European Coalition; Joana Kuras, VP Lithuanian Canadian Community Inc; Marcus Kolga, President, Estonian Central Council in Canada, Central and Eastern European Council (2019).

Ambassador Rex reported that diplomatic representation in the Baltic region is growing and that a new Canadian Trade Commissioner will be posted in Tallinn in the spring. Senior Canadian forces staff visit the region on average, every 1.5 weeks, said the ambassador.

The community raised serious concerns about Kremlin aligned propaganda and the cynical distortion and weaponizing of history to target the Baltic states and communities in Canada. These efforts, warned community leaders, are designed to undermine public support for Canada's mission in Latvia and our transatlantic alliance as well as drive a wedge between our communities and turn them against each other. The Baltic community is thankful for the Canadian government's recognition of this very serious problem and trust that any such efforts by Kremlin aligned entities will not be allowed to alter Canada's relations with its NATO partners or our communities in Canada.

“We appreciate the Ambassador Rex took the time to engage with our communities, and look forward to regular communications and cooperation to further reinforce the already strong relations Canada and the Baltic States enjoy,” said Andris Kesteris, President of the Baltic Federation.
Baltic Federation in Canada

Share this with someone

Read more