Ulaanbaatar, September 24, 2024 /MONTSAME/. A delegation from the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians (CAFP) visited MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency, the official and reliable source of Government news and the national news agency that promotes Mongolia to the world.

The CAFP is a non-profit organization formed by the Act of the Parliament of Canada and consists of former parliamentarians of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada. The CAFP members visit countries to get acquainted with and this time a large delegation of the CAFP is visiting Mongolia on September 18-23, 2024, during which holding meetings with social and political leaders, scholars, researchers, archeologists, historians, students, and the youth in Mongolia. 

The CAFP delegation included Dr. Jean Augustine, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Minister of Culturalism and the Status of Women, and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Kenneth Boshcoff, former Critic for Industry, Chair of Status of Persons with Disabilities of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Dorothy Dobbie, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment, Consumer and Corporate Affairs and Northern Development, Chungsen Leung, former Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism and Deputy Chair of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, Yasmin Ratansi, former Deputy Whip of the Liberal Party and Chair of the Canada-Mongolia Parliamentary Friendship Group, and Bryon Wilfert, present Secretary of the CAFP, Honorary Consul of Mongolia in Toronto and former Member of the Parliament.

The CAFP delegation visited Ulaanbaatar on September 18-23, 2024, during which, they held meetings with socio-economic leaders, scholars and researchers, archeologists and historians, and students and the youth in Mongolia. 

Director-General of MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency Sodontogos Erdenetsogt expressed gratitude for visiting MONTSAME National News Agency during their tour to Mongolia to witness the country from close up and learn deeply about the Mongolians and introduced the history and operations of the Agency to the esteemed guests.  

The meeting participants conducted an interesting conversation on Mongolia, the great history and culture of the Mongols, in particular, the Mongolian language and the Mongol script, the only vertical script in the world, which has been inherited from ancient times, as well as abundant collections of works written in it. Also, Mrs. Sodontogos presented publications, magazines, and various productions produced by MONTSAME for international readers and viewers. 

Honorary Consul of Mongolia in Toronto and former Member of the Parliament Bryon Wilfert noted that the CAFP is planning to organize a “Mongolia Days” event at Toronto University in October 2024, and underlined the goal to establish a Department of Mongolian Language at the Toronto University as the interest of Canadian students to study Mongolia highly grows, when they embark on a journey of discovering the country.

Honorary Consul Bryon Wilfert highlighted the meeting with Mongolian students and youth, saying, “The Mongolian youth have a bright outlook on the future and an earnest drive to contribute to the development of their country. Meeting with the young people with amazing enthusiasm and admirable energy left a strong impression on us.” Mr. Bryon Wiltfert noted that aside from mining cooperation between Mongolia and Canada, there is huge potential for collaborating in small-to-medium-sized manufacturing, education, arts and culture, and media, and expressed a sincere willingness to realize the potential. Honorary Consul Bryon Wilfert underlined the importance of people-to-people relations and between institutions in strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries and expressed readiness to give all-round support to connect the MONTSAME National News Agency of Mongolia with similar organizations in Canada for cooperation.

The CAFP delegation is scheduled to travel to the Gobi region of Mongolia.

In addition to its regular operation, the CAFP founded an Education Fund to strengthen democracy and good governance in Canada and abroad. The CAFP annually grants the “Distinguished Service Award” to former parliamentarians who made valuable contributions to the country and democratic institutions.