From 10 to 11 October 2024 Ambassador Kaspars Ozoliņš visited Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia. Ambassador met the Honourable Arthur LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, and discussed opportunities for further cooperation between Latvia and Nova Scotia, as well as wider connections between Latvia and Canada. Lieutenant Governor was fascinated to learn that the post World War II Latvian refugees in Canada founded several culture institutions in Halifax, such as: Nova Scotia Opera Association - first full-time opera in Canada, Halifax Symphonette which later became Halifax Symphony Orchestra, and Halifax Conservatory School of Ballet. This information can be found in “Nova Scotia Latvian Connections”, the latest book by Latvian Canadian author Viesturs Zariņš, which Ambassador presented to the Honourable Lieutenant Governor.
During his visit to Halifax, Ambassador also had a chance to engage with Susan Corkum-Greek, Minister of Economic Development, and had separate meetings with representatives of construction, wind energy and investor community to explore further opportunities for cooperation with Latvia. Ambassador had a possibility to get acquainted with COVE, a maritime technology accelerator in Dartmouth which, will soon work with NATO’s DIANA innovators to advance defence technologies solutions and in future may be an excellent partner for Latvian start-ups working in the same domain.
Ambassador Ozoliņš also visited Canadian Forces Base in Halifax and had an exchange of views with Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz, Commander, Maritime Forces Atlantic, followed by a tour of the newest Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel.
On the 10th of October in Halifax Ambassador Kaspars Ozoliņš spoke to the audience of a well-attended public presentation on Security Developments in Europe and Russia’s War Against Ukraine. The event was organized in collaboration with Jean Monnet European Union Centre of Excellence, Dalhousie University and the Canadian International Council.