The co-operation between Latvia and Canada occurs at various levels including between national parliaments and governments, between businesses, universities, and through tourism and people-to-people contacts.
The bilateral relations of the countries are reinforced by the activities of Latvia’s diaspora in Canada. People with roots in Latvia have been contributing to Canada’s rich culture, to its arts and sciences, and to the vitality of its industry and trade, and they are in contact with their friends and families in Latvia, drawing Latvia and Canada closer in the process. Latvia actively encourages young Canadians to consider it a destination for studies and travel, including through use of the Youth Mobility Agreement.
Geography also appears to have created certain affinities. With lands located more than halfway to the North Pole from the equator (Ottawa is at the 45th parallel and Riga is at the 56th), Latvians and Canadians are not afraid to venture out in ice and snow and feel at home on skates, skis, and sleds. And they share an appreciation for Nature and biodiversity, and enjoyment of the natural beauty of their broad forests and numerous lakes and rivers.
