Deepak to represent Canada at CHOGM 2013

by Manjula Fernando

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Deepak Obhrai will represent Canada at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo next month.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week officially announced that he would not attend the Summit in Sri Lanka allegedly due to country's deteriorating human rights record to which Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris responded that Canada was trying to politicise the Commonwealth against its much valued ground principles.

Government Spokesman Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said their decision was a result of electoral compulsions.

The Commonwealth spokesperson Richard Uku in a statement last week said they look forward to welcome the Parliamentary Secretary to the Canadian Foreign Minister and they respected Canada's stance on CHOGM 2013.

However, the Australian government has reportedly regretted the Canadian Prime Minister's stance to refrain from sending a high level delegation. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was quoted last week in 'The Australian' as saying, "In my discussions with the Canadian Foreign Minister I encouraged him to attend the CHOGM meeting, and I am disappointed that he will not take the opportunity to see first-hand the situation in Sri Lanka."

Despite Canada's stance, founding members Australia and New Zealand among other countries have pledged support and reiterated high level participation in the biggest event in the Commonwealth calendar.

Canada's decision by Stephen Harper to boycott the summit was criticised from within as well.

Emeritus Fellow in International Relations at Sidney Sussex College at the University of Cambridge told Canada's National Post 'Sri Lanka may not live by the ideals set out by the Commonwealth Charter, but participation in the group might do more good than outright boycots."