08/11/2005 – The Honorable Stéphane Dion will visit the Spanish cities of Madrid and Zaragoza from November 9 - 11, 2005, where he will participate in a seminar on climate change and meet with his Spanish and Colombian counterparts in preparation for the upcoming Montréal 2005 – United Nations Climate Change Conference. A key objective of the trip is to continue the dialogue on Canada’s approach at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. This dialogue is part of Canada’s broad international engagement on climate change.

“The discussions in Spain will be an excellent opportunity to share Canada’s views on what we hope to see happen in Montreal in terms of strengthening Kyoto and setting the agenda for a future global action that is effective and inclusive,” said Minister Dion.

While in Madrid, Minister Dion will deliver a speech at a seminar entitled Climate Change: Opportunities in Latin America, co-organized by Gas Natural and the Spanish Ministry of Environment. The Minister will provide participants from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and Portugal with an overview of what he hopes will take place in Montreal on progress towards implementing and improving the Kyoto Protocol and prompting effective discussions on global action in the longer term.

As part of his continued effort to actively consult other countries in advance of Montréal 2005, Minister Dion will meet with the Spanish Environment Minister Cristina Narbona Ruiz.

While in Zaragoza, the Minister will meet with officials from the Centre Carbo-chimique to discuss a project related to greenhouse gas transformation to electricity. Also at a conference in Zaragoza, Minister Dion will deliver a speech entitled “Canadian Federalism and its Projection on the Spanish Model.”

“As Host of the UN Climate Change Conference, we have held more than 150 bilaterals with over 40 key countries to pave the way for productive discussions at the conference on an effective, long-term global approach to climate change,” said Minister Dion.
The Montreal Conference will take place from November 28 to December 9, 2005.