ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received a delegation from the Canadian Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds organization on Sunday, his office said. Discussion focused on bilateral ties, regional developments, and the role of the Kurdish diaspora in strengthening relations between Erbil and Ottawa.
According to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the delegation affirmed “Canada’s commitment to supporting the people of Kurdistan,” stressing the importance of preserving stability in the region.
The visiting delegation, which also included members of the Kurdistan Diaspora Confederation in Canada, expressed their admiration for the peaceful coexistence among the communities of the Kurdistan Region, “highlighting the contribution of the Kurdish community in Canada to fostering closer ties between the two countries,” the statement read.
The visit comes days after Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received the Canadian delegation in Erbil. During the meeting, the delegation reiterated Canada's commitment to expanding cooperation with the Kurdistan Region across various sectors and voiced support for strengthening bilateral engagement, according to the statement.
Canada and the Kurdistan Region have maintained close relations for years, particularly through cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). Ottawa has also provided humanitarian assistance to the Kurdistan Region and supported stabilization efforts in areas affected by conflict.
The meeting reflects continuing engagement between Canadian officials and the Kurdistan Region's leadership as both sides seek to deepen political and economic cooperation.
The delegation included Ahmed Hussein, chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, and Canadian Member of Parliament Ziad Aboultaif. Several members of the Kurdistan Diaspora Confederation in Canada also attended the meeting, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
In the group’s last visit to Erbil occurred in September 2023, Canadian MP Tom Kmiec, co-founder of the Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds group, described the Kurdistan Region as a place of "safety and stability" and said he would continue advocating for stronger Canadian representation in Erbil.
"We chose Kurdistan because it is important to us. We have Kurdish diaspora members in our community who really care about this region," Canadian MP Tom Kmiec, co-founder of the group, told Rudaw at the time.
