News and Events
Ambassador's official visit to Prince Edward Island
The primary purpose of the Ambassador’s visit was to highlight new opportunities for the enrichment of relations in various fields between Canada and Iceland, now that a new free trade agreement is in place as well as an “Open Skies” air transport agreement. The Ambassador pointed out that special relations have existed between Iceland an Atlantic Canada with respect to commercial links, including Prince Edward Island. These could definitely be extended and reinforced. The P.E.I. officials also showed great interest in strengthening cultural relations and tourism between their Province and Iceland, welcoming visitors from Iceland to their Island Province which is famous for excellent golf courses and sandy beaches.
The Ambassador also had the pleasure to be a guest of honour at a lecture given by Icelandic scholar Gísli Sigurdsson on the discovery of North America in the year 1000 by Leifur Eiríksson and other Icelandic Viking explorers. A large group of interested people attended the lecture, where it also became evident that people on P.E.I. are enthusiastic about the accounts of Icelandic Saga literature relating to these historic events, and some Islanders even claim that Prince Edward Island is the one and only Vínland (Wine land) as the ancient Icelandic explorers named the region they discovered.
In conversations with business managers and representatives of local trade offices, the Ambassador pointed out the new business opportunities which the free trade agreement will undoubtedly facilitate. Possibilities for increased air travel between P.E.I and Iceland on Iceland air’s Halifax service to Iceland or across the North Atlantic to Europe was an essential part of the agenda. Tourism in Iceland was also the main theme of a speech and presentation which the Ambassador gave at a Rotary meeting in Charlottetown.
