Chief Minister Wigneswaran met with Ontario's Premier on Wednesday to discuss strengthening the relationship between the Northern Province and Ontario.
Ontario's Premier, Kathleen Wynne, told the Chief Minister that Ontario was interested in strengthening the relationship between the North and Ontario, including to strengthen support for the Northern Province in economic development, women's empowerment, institutional governance and public sector capacity building.
A press release from Premier Wynne's office stated:
The Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario, hosted The Honourable Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, Chief Minister of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, for a very productive meeting at her Queen’s Park office today. Premier Wynne conveyed Ontario’s strong interest in seeing and supporting further progress in strengthening the Ontario-Northern Province relationship, including in the areas of economic development, women's empowerment, institutional governance and public sector capacity building.
This bilateral meeting, the first of its kind between the two heads of governments, provides an opportunity to further strengthen the Ontario-Northern Province relationship and highlight Ontario’s support for reconciliation and lasting peace in Sri Lanka. The meeting focused on sharing Ontario’s best practices and expertise in a wide range of areas of public policy that would be helpful in post-conflict rebuilding and reconstruction efforts, as the Northern Province creates an equitable and sustainable future.
The people of Ontario and the Northern Province have a long relationship owing to a shared commitment to fundamental values and the vibrant community of Ontarians of Sri Lankan origin, particularly the Tamil community.
“It was an honour to meet with Chief Minister Wigneswaran and welcome him to Ontario. We had a great discussion about our opportunities to build partnerships in the areas of common interest. I look forward to exploring further opportunities to support the Chief Minister as he guides the equitable and sustainable development of the Northern Province.”
