The deputy minister began his visit to Canada’s capital by chairing a round-table debate organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ottawa and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, represented by Dr Balkan Devlen, Shuvaloy Majumdar (both formally barred from visiting Russia), and Charles Burton. Held under the Chatham House Rule, the debate focused on the security situation in Central and Eastern Europe, including the role of Poland and Canada in helping Ukraine. Among the debaters were representatives of Canada’s Department of National Defence, James Bezan (the Conservative Party; Shadow Minister for Defence), Jill Sinclair (defence and foreign and international security expert, political leader in Canada’s top-tier government administration), and David Collenette, former minister with more than 20 years of experience in politics as a member of the Liberal Party.

Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz was joined by Ambassador Witold Dzielski and members of the Embassy’s personnel for political consultation with representatives of Global Affairs Canada (the Canadian MFA), headed by Deputy Minister Marta Morgan and Director General for European Affairs Robert Fry. The talks centred around the North Atlantic Alliance and a joint response to the war in Ukraine and the Russian aggression (sanctions, military assistance to Ukraine, NATO battlegroups, humanitarian aid). Also discussed during the meeting were issues related to energy and food security, joint countering of Russian influences and disinformation. Deputy Minister Marta Morgan highly commended the relief efforts extended by the Polish government and the Polish nation to attacked Ukraine. Moreover, both parties took note that 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Canada.

Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz, Ambassador Witold Dzielski, representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ottawa, and Director General for European Affairs Robert Fry of Global Affairs Canada paid tribute and lit grave candles at the tomb of Poland’s first envoy to Canada, Wiktor Podoski, who had presented his letters of credence on 27 March 1942.

In the evening, Deputy Minister Przydacz and Ambassador Dzielski held a videoconference with leaders of the Polish community in Canada, touching upon issues pertaining to Poland’s policies in the light of the situation in Ukraine. The deputy chief of Polish diplomacy thanked the Polish community in Canada for their initiatives to date and took questions from the audience in a Q&A session.

On the second day of his visit, the deputy minister and representatives of the Polish embassy in Ottawa met with MP Irek Kusmierczyk, President of the Polish-Canadian Interparliamentary Friendship Group at the House of Commons, and MPs Peter Fonseca, Lianne Rood and Chandra Arya. The panellists exchanged opinions on Ukrainian matters, joint assistance and engagement by the two countries, cooperation in the field of energy security and other initiatives that would help tighten the transatlantic ties even more.

The last item on the agenda of Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz’s visit to Ottawa was a working lunch with Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence Stefanie Beck. The talks focused on security in Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, military cooperation, and support for combatant Ukraine.

To round up the visit, the deputy foreign minister gave an interview for Power & Politics, a programme of the Canadian national TV channel CBC News, presenting the Polish government’s position on the situation in Ukraine, the issue of the country’s future membership of NATO and the EU, and a summary of his stay in the Canadian capital.

 

Łukasz Jasina

MFA Press Spokesperson