Diplomats speak

IN EVERY DIRECTION

Linda McDonald,
the Canadian Consul General
in St. Petersburg

        Canada's relations with St. Petersburg and Northwest Russia are varied and growing. Around 30 Canadian companies are present in St. Petersburg, with another 40 or 50 active in the market. Most of Canadian commerce has been in the food, construction, informatics and industrial (transportation, mining, forestry) sectors, although interest is varied and the potential for enhanced collaboration is significant.
        The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) supports many different projects in Northwest Russia. Of particular interest in St. Petersburg is the Canada Aids Russia Project, a 1.5M$ Aids Training and Research Project. CIDA also funds (with the World Bank) an Energy Sector Technical Assistance Project in Murmansk. This project finances Canadian energy experts who will work with the Kola utility for two years.
        Canada's cultural exchanges with St. Petersburg are becoming one of the most active and visible aspects of our growing relationship. In addition to a number of successful art exchanges that are being undertaken between the Hermitage, the Russian museum, Peterhof and the Academy of Fine Arts and Canadian Museums, Canada will present its first major Canadian Art Exhibition in St. Petersburg in 2002. Organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Hermitage and the Canadian Friends of the Hermitage, this exposition will be Canada's most important cultural event ever presented in Petersburg. The Consulate General plans to organize a Celebration of Canada around this exposition.
        The recently formed St. Petersburg chapter of the Russian Association for Canadian Studies provides another opportunity to focus on issues Canadian and promote expanded knowledge and understanding of Canada.