Celebrating Chilean Independence
Notes for a speech by Hon. David Kilgour,
Member of Parliament for Edmonton Southeast
and Secretary of State (Latin America and
Africa)
at the celebration of the Chilean Independence
Day
September 23, 2000, Shaw Conference Centre,
Edmonton
It is an
honour to join this evening’s celebration
of Chile’s Independence Day and bring
greetings from the federal government.
The Chilean
community is the largest Latin American
community in Edmonton. Through the years
it has become a thriving an integral part
of our multicultural city.
Tonight there
is much to celebrate. Chile’s return
to democracy in 1990 has brought renewed
expectation for all of us. We have observed
with great interest the progress made in
areas of democracy, respect for human rights
and economics. With the recent election
of President Richard Lagos, Chile is entering
a new era. We all watch with hope that the
democratic traditions that have been established
and the current prosperity will continue.
In the past
decade, Canada’s relations with Chile
have been flourishing. The two countries
enjoy many links. Economically through the
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement and a
high rate of trade and investment. Culturally,
through the exchanges of culture and language
such as tonight.
The political
links between Canada and Chile are also
growing as Canada cultivates closer relations
with our hemispheric neighbours. We realize
the importance of the region, the common
bonds that exist and the prospects for the
future. Canada has hosted a number of key
hemispheric events over the past year, including
the Model General Assembly of the Organization
of American States held here in Edmonton
last spring and the 30th General Assembly
of the Organization of American States this
past June in Windsor, Ontario. These events
all lead up to Canada’s hosting of
the Third Summit of the Americas, to be
held in Quebec City in April 2001.
So tonight
as we mark the Independence of Chile, we
remember your ancestors in the person of
Bernardo O'Higgins, your "Libertador,"
celebrate the highlights and transitions
of the present, and look ahead with much
anticipation to what the future holds. We
wish the best for Chile.
I’d
like to end with a special toast to the
Chilean community here in Edmonton, what
I consider to be a keystone of this city's
Latin American community. May you continue
your efforts to preserve and share your
culture with your fellow Edmontonians and
keep contributing to our city in such a
positive way.
Viva Chile
y viva Canada!
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