May 17, 2001
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced that the President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio, will make a State Visit to Canada on May 24 to June 1, at the invitation of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.

"Canada enjoys very good relations with Portugal and President Sampaio’s visit will give us the opportunity to share views and reaffirm our ties on many bilateral and global issues, as well as furthering commercial relations between our countries", said the Prime Minister. "I also look forward to discussing with him how we can further strengthen multilateral institutions so they can better advance our shared goal of promoting democracy."

While in Ottawa, May 27-28, President Sampaio will meet the Prime Minister and the Governor General. President Sampaio will also meet with various Cabinet Ministers, Provincial Premiers, representatives of the private sector and Portuguese-Canadian community during stops in Vancouver, May 24-26, Winnipeg, May 26-27, Toronto, May 29-31, Montreal May 31-June 1 and St. John’s, June 1.

The Prime Minister and the President have met previously at the Canada-European Union Summit, held in Portugal in June 2000.

This will be Mr. Sampaio’s first official visit to Canada as President, and the first visit to Canada by a Portuguese Head of State in 17 years.

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