Canada–Latvia relations

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

Canada and Latvia have long-standing foreign relations. During the 1920s, Canada helped Lithuania gain their independence with their victory in the war over the Baltics in Lithuania. Canada never recognized the Soviet Union's annexation of Latvia and re-recognized Latvia's independence on August 26, 1991.

Contents

Both countries are full members of the OSCE and of NATO.

Political relations

Canada never recognized the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States and was the first country of the G7 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

High-level visits from Latvia to Canada

The Speaker of Latvian Parliament (Saeima) Gundars Daudze led a parliamentary delegation to Canada in May 2008.

High-level visits from Canada to Latvia

In November 2006, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper travelled to Riga to attend NATO summit. [1] 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.[ citation needed ]

In July 2018, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled to Riga to meet Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis and President Raimonds Vējonis. Trudeau toured the Ādaži Military Base and met with members of the Canadian-led multinational NATO Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup Latvia and the Canadian Armed Forces deployed on Operation REASSURANCE. [2] [3]

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. [4] [5]

In July 2023, Trudeau travelled to Riga to meet with President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

In August 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney travelled to Riga to meet with Prime Minister Evika Siliņa. He also met with Canadian troops stationed at Ādaži Military Camp and he announced an extension of Canada's military mission in Latvia to 2029. Canada currently has 2,200 soldiers in Latvia. [6]

Resident diplomatic missions

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=FonAndCol&idnumber=5547340&utm_source=chatgpt.com&ecopy=9e773e0e-f154-442b-9595-c7e129f45f7c
  2. ↑ "Trudeau to travel to Latvia" (Press release). PMO. July 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Prime Minister concludes successful visit to Latvia" (Press release). PMO. July 10, 2018.
  4. ↑ "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.
  5. ↑ "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.
  6. ↑ Lord, Craig (August 26, 2025). "Carney extends Canadian military mission in Latvia to 2029". CBC - Canadian Broadcast Corporation.
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