Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera in his remarks to the media at the conclusion of bilateral discussions with visiting Canadian Foreign Minister Stéphan Dion said Sri Lanka was keen to engage with the Sri Lankan community in Canada.
“We are keen to engage with the Sri Lankan community in Canada and invite them to visit the country they left, or was compelled to leave, long ago,” the Foreign Minister said.
He thanked Canada for opening their doors to Sri Lankans affected by the conflict, but said that Sri Lanka was now at a very different phase: “We are laying the foundation for a new Sri Lanka, on the pillars of democracy, reconciliation and economic development,” he said.
He said Sri Lanka relied on friends like Canada to, “…assist us in enhancing our local capacity, and through technical expertise, greater trade and investment,” and said he was keen to have the Sri Lanka community in Canada “explore meaningful ways in which to contribute to Sri Lanka’s reconciliation and development efforts.”