The Secretary of State for National Community abroad, Halim Benatallah, conducted a visit to Canada from 1st to 6th November during which he held talks with Canadian and Quebecois officials about the conditions of the Algerian community living in Canada and ways to develop relations between Algeria and Canada.

This working visit is part of "efforts to establish permanent links with all national community based abroad"

In Montreal, Mr. Halim Benattalah, urged Algerians to "invest" the political field of the host country for a better integration. He considered it necessary to establish "gateways" to benefit our country from the experience acquired by the Algerian nationals established in this country.

The election of three members of Algerian origin is "a historical fact and there is no coincidence that this happens in Canada," said Benattallah in his speech at the reception organized in November 1st by the Consul General in Montreal. He highlighted the qualitative component of the Algerian community in Canada that is “a model of harmony of integration and success", he said.

The members of the Algerian community established in the province of Quebec as well as Members of Parliaments of Algerian origin recently elected to the House of Commons were invited to this occasion. Stressing the importance of "matching the expectations of Algeria with the offer on the spot", he invited the guests to "listen and work in a pragmatic way, focusing on actions that convey projects of interest for the country.

Mr. Benatallah also had discussions with the Quebec Minister of Immigration, Kathleen Weil during which he stressed that the presence of the Algerian elite within the Canadian companies is an "added advantage of competitiveness and a vector of cooperation ". Ms. Weil has, for its part, welcomed "the quality of the Algerian community and its successful integration," noting that Algeria remains "the largest source of immigration in Quebec since 2006." Furthermore, she expressed to her Algerian counterpart, the "willingness" of the Canadian Government to solve the problem of recognition of diplomas obtained in Algeria.

Mr. Benatallah also discussed about the relations between Algeria and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), following his meeting with the Secretary General of the organization, Mr. Benjamin Raymond . The minister stressed the support of this organization in the establishment of mechanisms to facilitate the procedure related to biometrics.

Mr. Benatallah met, finally, with members of the Algerian community working in the technology sector, in the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Post and Technologies of Information and Communication. Algerian ICT professionals expressed their "willingness to get involved and contribute" to the development of this sector in Algeria, through the establishment of mechanisms for technology transfer and achieving projects in the framework of win-win partnership "by avoiding past experiences full of frustrations." They proposed, after the debate that followed the meeting, the establishment of a think-tank for the legal expertise, the information security, human resources and the breakdown of the master plan in projects.

In addition, the Algerian Minister paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor of Villeray, Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension, a neighborhood with a high concentration of Algerians and where “the small Maghreb" is located, and to Mr. Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of Montreal. The two elected officials have stressed the high quality of the Algerian emigration which is "a model of success and integration," focusing on its contribution to the development of the city of Montreal.

In Ottawa, Mr. Halim Benatallah, spoke with Canadian officials about the Algerian-Canadian cooperation in the consular field, and the situation of the Algerian community in Canada. Mr. Benatallah met on this occasion, the Canadian Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenny and the Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), Ms. Diane Ablonczy. He expressed with Ms. Ablonczy their "satisfaction with the good cooperation between the two countries in the consular field and expressed their wish to strengthen it."

For his part, Mr. Kenny, who welcomed the "quality of integration" by the Algerian citizens in the Canadian society, highlighted the model advocated by the Canadian government toward all immigrants, adding that his country hosts 250,000 immigrants per year. On the other hand, Mr. Benatallah has requested more information about the "high rate" of unemployment (30%) among Algerian executives and hoped the settlement of the issue of diplomas equivalences.

Mr. Halim Benatallah also referred to the recent action by the Canadian authorities not to allow the holding of parliamentary elections of foreign countries on Canadian soil and asked to allow Algerians to vote at future elections.

Finally, he met with members of the community of Ottawa and Montreal, during the reception held in November 1st at the Chancery.

                                                                          Ottawa, November 8th, 2011

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