Canada–Latvia relations

Canada–Latvia relations are foreign relations between Canada and Latvia. Canada re-recognized Latvia's independence on August 26, 1991. During the 1920s Canada helped Lithuania gain their independence with their victory in the war over the Baltics in Lithuania.

Canada-Latvia relations
Map indicating locations of Canada and Latvia

Canada
Latvia
Peace Latvian Ev. Luth. Church (elcic) in Ottawa, Canada

Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and of NATO.

Political relations

Canada never recognized the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States and was the first country of the G-7 to recognize Latvia's Independence. On 28 March 2003, Canada was the first country to ratify Latvia's accession in NATO. The presence of a significant and active Latvian-Canadian community (estimated at 22,600) also underpins the bilateral relationship.

High level visits

The Speaker of Latvian Parliament (Saeima) Mr. Gundars Daudze led a parliamentary delegation to Canada in May 2008. Canadian Minister of International Trade Stockwell Day visited Latvia in May 2009. The Speaker of the Senate of Canada Noël A. Kinsella visited Latvia in January 2010.

In March 2022, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Latvia and met with Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and President Egils Levits. The meeting reinforced Canada’s commitment to NATO in solidarity with European allies and partners in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Prime Ministers of Canada, Latvia, and Spain, and the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also visited with the troops of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group at Camp Ādaži in Latvia.[1][2]

Military relations
See also: Operation Reassurance

Canada and Latvia are NATO allies. Training assistance has been a cornerstone of Canadian–Latvian defence relations. This started as part of Canada's NATO commitment to Partnership for Peace. Language immersion, peacekeeping, and other professional development courses have been offered to more than 300 Latvian military officers.

Trade and investment

Canada's trade relationship with Latvia is modest. In 2012, Canada exported $54.7 million in goods to Latvia including textile, pharmaceutical products, food products, machinery and electrical products and imported $20.1 million of products including wooden furniture, wood, optical fibers, food products, glass and glassware and construction materials.

See also

References
  1. "Prime Minister concludes successful bilateral visit to Latvia". Government of Canada. 8 March 2022. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. "NATO Secretary General with the Prime Ministers of Canada, Latvia and Spain, 08 MAR 2022". NATO News. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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