As part of the closing events for the 25th Week of the Italian Language in the World, the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, the Honorable Francis Scarpaleggia, and the Chair of the Canada-Italy Parliamentary Friendship Group, the Honorable Angelo Iacono, hosted a meeting yesterday afternoon in Ottawa at the House of Commons with Members of Parliament and Senators, together with the Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo.
The event was attended by several dozen parliamentarians from across the political spectrum and from various Canadian provinces, including Deputy Speaker of the House, the Honorable Alexandra Mendes, and Senators Tony Loffreda, Toni Varone, and Sandra Pupatello.
In his warm welcome address, Speaker Scarpaleggia highlighted the particularly favorable moment in Canada–Italy bilateral relations across all sectors, recalling his recent meeting with the Honorable President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, during the G7 Speakers’ Summit hosted in Ottawa in September.
He also expressed his deep personal attachment to his Italian roots, particularly from Campania and Basilicata.
For his part, the Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group, the Honorable Angelo Iacono, emphasized the key role of the vibrant and diverse Italian-Canadian community, which plays a prominent role in Canada’s political, economic, and social life. He stressed that such deep-rooted ties between the two countries should, in today’s context, lead to even stronger and more fruitful economic and cultural cooperation.
In his remarks, Ambassador Cattaneo confirmed that both governments are committed to an unprecedented strategic strengthening of bilateral relations, starting with the “Roadmap for Enhanced Cooperation” adopted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit in Borgo Egnazia in 2024, and reaffirmed with new Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in July 2025.
Ambassador Cattaneo also underscored the strategic significance of Canada’s designation as a priority country in the Italian export plan, launched by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani.
