Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs on 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Israel

May 11, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:

“Since 1949, Canada and Israel have developed strong bilateral relations, marked by close political, economic, social, cultural and personal ties. We were honoured to welcome Reuven Rivlin, President of Israel, on a state visit to Canada from March 31 to April 2, 2019, as part of the celebration of this milestone. And I remember fondly my own visit to Israel in October 2018, where I witnessed first-hand the dynamism of the Israeli people.

“Canadians and Israelis work together in so many fields, from science and technology to the arts, business, philanthropy, and everything in between. Our countries share a commitment to democracy, pluralism and innovation. Canada stands by Israel and supports its right to live in peace and security. We also have a robust Jewish community in Canada, numbering over 350,000, which continues to reinforce these strong connections.

“Recently, we have had a number of keystone achievements, including signature for the modernized Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement. Every day, we continue to build on what we have accomplished together by working to combat anti-Semitism and hatred around the world, by making it even easier for young Canadians and Israelis to work and travel in each other’s countries, and by collaborating closely on new technologies and innovation.

“Today we look to a bright and promising future for Canadian-Israeli relations over the years to come.”