Peter Goldring participating in Foreign Affairs Committee fact finding mission

October 10, 2006

OTTAWA – Peter Goldring, Member of Parliament for Edmonton East, is travelling with a House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee fact finding mission to Scandinavia this week. The multi-party group left Canada on Saturday Oct. 7 for a week long mission, with stops in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, as well as London, U.K.

"As part of the mandate of the Foreign Affairs Committee to examine how Canada can better promote democratic values around the world and develop democracy where it is needed most, the committee will be hearing how Scandinavian countries are utilizing foreign aid dollars for that purpose and how Canada can also do so in the most cost-effective and efficient manner, while consolidating existing efforts," said Goldring.

"We will also be examining how non-governmental organizations work in these countries, outside of direct government influence, to promote democracy and assist in the development of the necessary infrastructure – such as an elections commission – for successful elections. One of Canada’s primary intellectual exports has always been our democratic government and way of life and we need to find all means necessary for the most efficient delivery of those ideas."