Tánaiste's St. Patrick's Day Programme in Canada

On the first day of his St. Patrick’s Day visit to Canada, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore T.D., attended a number of economic events in Montreal.   

During his visit he presented a Certificate of Irish Heritage to the former Prime Minister of Canada, Paul Martin.  

Presenting the Certificate, the Tánaiste praised the former Prime Minister for his work as Finance Minister of Canada for almost a decade from 1993-2002 - "At a time when the rest of the world was practising light touch regulation, you were exercising caution and Canada's economy has benefited from that."

The Tánaiste also met this morning with major business leaders in Montreal and stressed that now is a good time for Canadian businesses to invest in Ireland’s economic recovery.

This evening the Tánaiste will meet with Canadian members of the Global Irish Network in Toronto. Tomorrow he will officially open a new Irish Canadian Immigration Centre in the city and will later meet with the Canadian Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, and the Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney.